By: Momodou Gagigo
Political temperatures are rising in Foni Jarrol as the area’s National Assembly Member (NAM), Hon. Kebba Toumanding Sanneh, has issued a stark warning over what he describes as systematic voter registration fraud aimed at tilting the upcoming elections in favor of certain candidates.
In an exclusive interview with The Alkamba Times, Hon. Sanneh accused political actors of orchestrating the transportation of non-residents into small villages to register them as voters, in clear violation of Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) rules.
At the heart of the allegations is Momodou A. Bah, a former independent candidate, whom the NAM claims is coordinating the movement of outsiders into communities with no genuine ties.
“People are being brought into villages they cannot even identify,” Sanneh said. “Some arrive asking for directions, yet they are issued attestations and allowed to register. This is deeply troubling.”
According to the NAM, the scheme relies on the complicity of local traditional leaders. He alleged that village Alkalos, backed by chiefs, is issuing attestations — documents meant to verify residency or parental lineage — based on flimsy or fabricated claims that individuals’ parents once lived in the area. Sanneh insists many of those being registered have no real connection to the communities and are essentially being imported for political gain.
The situation has reportedly sparked resistance in several villages, including Kamambu and the NAM’s own home village. In tight-knit communities where populations are often below 300 and nearly half the residents live abroad, locals say strangers stand out.
“In a village where families know one another, it is not difficult to spot outsiders,” Sanneh noted. “Yet these registrations are being pushed through despite objections.”
The NAM expressed particular concern about the misuse of traditional authority structures, claiming that local leaders are undermining community trust and the integrity of the electoral process by failing to verify claims properly.
Hon. Sanneh did not mince words about the potential consequences. He warned that if authorities fail to intervene and one side continues to manipulate the system, others may feel forced to respond similarly.
“They are violating IEC rules for political gain,” he stated. “We will be ready to do the same if this continues unchecked.”
The allegations come as voter registration exercises continue across the country. Foni Jarrol, like many rural areas, is seen as particularly vulnerable to such tactics because of its small, close-knit settlements, where even minor additions to the voter roll could sway the results.
Observers worry that unchecked irregularities could erode public confidence in the democratic process and set the stage for post-election disputes or even violence. Similar complaints have reportedly surfaced in other parts of the country since registration began, suggesting a broader national challenge.
As the election season intensifies, the eyes of many Gambians are now on the IEC and relevant authorities to see whether they will act swiftly and impartially to investigate these claims, enforce existing rules, and restore faith in the registration process.
Without decisive intervention, analysts say, Foni Jarrol risks becoming an early flashpoint in what is already emerging as a highly contentious electoral period.
