Darboe Rebukes Hamat Bah Over Claims of Ethnic Bias in Voter Objections

By Makutu Manneh

Ousainu Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has criticized Hamat Bah, the Minister of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, over allegations that the party is disproportionately targeting Fula and Wolof voters through objections to voter registration.

Speaking on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, Mr. Darboe expressed disappointment in Mr. Bah, saying he had not expected such remarks from someone with whom he had opposed ethnic divisions during the rule of former President Yahya Jammeh.

Mr. Bah had accused the UDP of disproportionately challenging the eligibility of Fula and Wolof voters, raising concerns about ethnic bias in the voter registration process.

Mr. Darboe rejected the allegations, arguing that the objections were filed by individual registered voters rather than the UDP as a political party.

“After all, objections are not by the United Democratic Party. These are registered voters. The law does not permit any political party to raise an objection to the eligibility or otherwise of any claimant as a voter. It is registered voters who have to do so,” he said.

He maintained that the ethnic composition of those facing objections largely reflected the demographics of the communities in which the challenges were filed, rather than a deliberate effort to target particular ethnic groups.

According to Mr. Darboe, objections filed in predominantly Mandinka communities would naturally involve more Mandinka voters because they constitute the majority of the population in those areas.

He cited Saloum, a predominantly Wolof area, as another example, arguing that the prevalence of objections involving Wolof voters reflected the area’s ethnic makeup rather than discriminatory intent.

Mr. Darboe also accused Mr. Bah of abandoning principles they had both defended during the Jammeh era, when ethnic divisions were a contentious feature of the country’s political landscape.

He said the UDP remained committed to the principles it had upheld during that period and described Mr. Bah’s remarks as unfortunate.

The opposition leader expressed hope that Mr. Bah would reconsider his statements and come to regret making the allegations.