The by-election in the Half Die Ward is between a candidate of the PPP and one sponsored by the NPP. The National Assembly member Touma Njai is an independent National Assembly member. She became an independent candidate because of a conflict within the PPP that led to her isolation from the executive of the PPP. Eventually the court made the following decision after she was already elected as an independent candidate.
The Kanifing High Court held that:
Touma Njai is a bona fide member of the PPP and her expulsion was null and void;
Kebba Jallow remained the leader of the PPP;
the PPP Congress that elected him was in order;
the court refused to nullify the election result at the congress;
This decision of the court however cannot change her status as an independent National Assembly member because section 91(1)(e) of the Constitution of the Republic which still bars her from joining a political party and still retain her seat. The section reads:
“A member of the National Assembly shall vacate his or of her seat in the National Assembly—
(e) if, having been elected a member as an independent candidate, he or she joins a political party.”
It is therefore still unclear whether the PPP candidate will be supported by the Independent member for Banjul South or is entirely the candidate of the current PPP executive.
Foroyaa will follow the campaign and explain which forces are behind the candidate and what that would mean in shaping the political future of the country.
The seat was held by the NPP and by-election is being held because of the vacancy of the seat due to the fact that councillor left to go abroad and never returned.
