By Fatou Sillah
Civil society organization Gambia Participates and the Elections Watch Committee on Saturday condemned the reported seizure of the official stamp of the Alkalo of Nyangen Village, warning that the action could undermine voter rights and due process.
The controversy erupted on April 9 after the Unite Movement for Change alleged that the Governor of the Central River Region had confiscated the Alkalo’s official stamp. The opposition movement described the move as an abuse of authority and suggested it was politically motivated, pointing to the Alkalo’s son’s reported affiliation with the UMC.
In a statement issued the same day, the government confirmed that the stamp had been temporarily withdrawn, saying the decision followed allegations that it had been used in a manner inconsistent with its intended administrative purpose.
But rights advocate Marr Nyang, executive director of Gambia Participates, rejected the justification, saying there was no evidence of wrongdoing beyond the political association cited by the opposition.
“We state unequivocally that the temporary seizure of the Nyangens’ Alkalo stamp is ill-advised, unjustified, potentially a violation of the law, and has the effect of depriving bona fide Gambian residents of Nyangen village of their inalienable right to vote,” Nyang said. “It is also our position that the action of the governor in seizing the Alkalo seal without lawful authority or grounds may constitute a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of bona fide residents of Nyangen who are entitled to vote under the laws of this country.”
Nyang warned that the decision could amount to voter suppression, arguing that it interferes with the voter registration process protected under Section 39 of the 1997 Constitution, which guarantees citizens the right to register and vote.
“The seizure of the stamp of the Alkalo will prevent many citizens of Nyangen from being registered on the voter roll, which is a violation of their right to vote as provided for in section 39 of the 1997 constitution. Hence, the actions violate section 39 of the state constitution,” he said.
He further argued that the government had not demonstrated any legal basis for restricting the Alkalo’s practice of entrusting the stamp to his son, describing it as a common administrative arrangement in many communities.
Nyang added that any concerns regarding allegedly improper attestations should be addressed through established electoral dispute mechanisms, rather than administrative intervention.
“Any person or any political party who is satisfied that the Alkalo or his aide has issued an attestation to an individual who should not have been registered by the IEC, the person should duly present his or her objection during the session of the revising court, which will sit immediately after the draft supplementary voter registration list is published by the IEC. In conclusion, the credibility of any public election likely depends on the voter roll,” he said.
He concluded that the integrity of elections ultimately depends on the credibility of the voter roll, which he said must be protected from politically motivated interference.
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