By: Fatou Dahaba
The Independent Electoral Commission has divided Brikama into three election offices as part of its core preparations for The Gambia’s presidential election, IEC Chairman Joseph Colley said Thursday.
Speaking at a democracy and governance forum at Bakadaji Hotel, Colley said the change followed difficulties the commission faced in the last two electoral cycles, particularly in managing results.
“We’ve been having challenges, especially when it comes to results management, especially during the last two electoral cycles,” Colley said. “So that being the case, we added three offices. We used to have seven. Now we have ten election offices.”
He said Brikama was targeted because of its size and growing electoral demand. “Brikama, which is the biggest, is divided into three now. This will help in operations, and also will help in results management.”
The new structure places an office in Yarambamba for the former Kombo North area, including Old Yundum, Busumbala and Sannehmentereng; an office in Brikama covering Brikama North, Brikama South, Kombo East and Kombo South; and another in Sibanor to strengthen administration across the wider region.
Colley said the area already had five more elected constituencies before the supplementary process for Brikama, underlining the scale of activity there. He added that Brikama had 533,000 voters before supplementary voter registration.
Beyond Brikama, the IEC has opened offices in Wassu, covering Balangar to Sami, and in Janjanbureh, overseeing Niamina and Fulladu. Basse remains unchanged.
Colley said revised courts are operating nationwide. Some 1,694 people were objected to on the register over citizenship and underage claims.
He stressed that an election is not only polling day. “If you want to look at election day, you may be wrong, because you have a pile of activities that take place before and after the election.”
The commission has adopted a 2025–2029 strategic plan and a 2025 election strategy. It has also created a legal unit, completed supplementary voter registration, activated revising courts and begun procuring materials, including indelible ink.
Asked whether political parties may announce results, Colley said actors may conduct parallel tabulation. “People can make what is called parallel tabulation. We can accept that.” The IEC, however, retains official declaration. “But the law says it is the IEC that declares.”
