By Saikou Suwareh Jabai
The Special Representative of the United Nationa Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Muhamed Ibn Chambas,
calls on the Gambia Government to ensure the holding of a credible and transparent presidential election on 1 December and stressed the importance of a level playing field as a key precondition.
He reminded the Government of its obligations stemming from the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance as well as the AU Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance.
The UN envoy said this at a press conference on Thursday, 10 November, 2016 as he is currently in Gambia holding a series of meetings with all the stakeholders.
“We also encouraged the political parties and all electoral stakeholders to work together and to address all disagreements through peaceful means and dialogue with a view to ensuring the conduct of inclusive, credible and peaceful election,” he said.
Dr. Chambas reiterated the calls by the UN and other partners on the Government to conduct an independent investigation into the deaths in custody of Ebrima Solo Krummah and Solo Sandeng. He further entreated the government to release the thirty protestors involved in the April demonstrations, as well as the fourteen others who are in pre-trial detention following the May demonstration.
Details of this news conference will come in our next edition.
