The Independent Electoral Commission as part of the reform agenda has commenced consultation with representatives of all political parties on the electoral system of future Gambia. As from 17th June 2019, the Commission started moving from region to region and hopes to spend two days in each region discussing with political representatives.
The objective is to put in place a system that would ensure the undiluted choice of the people in elections.
The authority to govern must be derived from the people as spelt out in section 1 subsection (2) of the Constitution:
“The Sovereignty of The Gambia resides in the people of The Gambia from whom all organs of government derive their authority and in whose name and for whose welfare and prosperity the power of government are to be exercised in accordance with this constitution.”
Deriving power from the people requires election and registration of citizens who are entitled to vote. The IEC is the institution that is responsible for conducting these exercises in a free, fair and transparent manner and how it does it is governed by law. This is why the exercise that the IEC is conducting at the moment is of utmost importance.
