National Assembly members have a national mandate. In the performance of their duties, they are not supposed to put partisan interest before national interest. They are not supposed to have any hidden agenda. This is the dictate of section 112 of the Constitution. It categorically states:
“The responsibilities of the members of the National Assembly shall include the following –
(a) all members shall maintain the dignity of the National Assembly both during the sittings of the National Assembly and in their acts and activities outside the National Assembly;
(b) all members shall regard themselves as servants of the people of The Gambia, desist from any conduct by which they seek improperly to enrich themselves or alienate themselves from the people, and shall discharge their duties and functions in the interest of the nation as a whole and in doing so shall be influenced by the dictates of conscience and the national interest.”
It is clear from this that National Assembly members do not and should not speak for political parties when they address issues put in the agenda either at the plenary or committee level. Each National Assembly member is accountable to the National Assembly and the nation for everything said or done as National Assembly member. Hence what they say and do as National Assembly members should be should subject to public scrutiny. Under section 109 of the Constitution, National Assembly members have power to summon members of the executive to appear before their committees. Under section 110 of the Constitution, those who undermine the integrity of the National Assembly could be held in contempt of the National Assembly. Hence any allegation made against a committee of the National Assembly should be based on facts and not fiction.
Foroyaa will continue to monitor the relation between the National Assembly and the executive so as to hold both accountable to the public as required by section 207 of the Constitution.
