IEC Says Blank Voters’ Cards Found Around Kanifing Were Part of Old Stock

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By Kebba Mamburay

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has issued a statement indicating that the blank voters’ cards that were found around Kanifing recently are remainders of the old stock of the previous registration exercise of 2011 and 2016.

The Commission said they learnt this development from the Media.

“The IEC hereby clarifies that these blank voters’ cards were remainders of the old stock of the 2011 and 2016 voter registration exercises which are presently being disposed off to provide space for the arrival of new stock of voters’ cards, due in The Gambia in few weeks,” the Commission said.

One Molamin Gikineh, a resident in Kanifing Estate/Layout, was reported to have found numerous disposed voters’ cards around his neighbourhood.

Most kids were found around town playing with these voters’ cards and some people already started suggesting that the voters’ cards can be tempered or forged by others illegally to secure themselves voters’ card to vote in forthcoming election. They opined that this might breed political or electoral disorder because the voters’ cards bear no names, pictures, or any other details which raised concern amongst the citizens.

Nonetheless the IEC said it wished to inform everyone that the blank voters’ cards were never in the database of the IEC.

“It may interest the general public to note that these cards are going to be absolete upon the commencement of the general voter registration on 29th May 2021.

“The new voters’ cards for the 2021 general voter registration bear some features that are different from these old and obsolete blank cards,” the statement said.