The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) has called on President Adama Barrow to withhold assent to the Elections Bill, 2025, passed by the National Assembly on October 10 with 23 votes in favor and 14 against after five years of review. In a letter submitted to the State House, the group raised serious concerns about provisions in the bill that they argue undermine the 1997 Constitution, democratic principles, and the right to free and fair elections.
The EFSCRJ warned that the bill, in its current form, risks disenfranchising citizens, imposing financial barriers to political participation, and failing to ensure transparency in electoral processes. The group urged the President to return the bill to the National Assembly for further consultation and revision to align with constitutional standards and international democratic norms, including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
Key concerns highlighted by the EFSCRJ include the bill’s restrictive voter qualification rules, which exclude prisoners and the Gambian diaspora from voting, denying them their constitutional right to participate in elections. The bill also imposes high nomination deposits—one million dalasi for presidential candidates and 150,000 dalasi for National Assembly candidates—amounts the group deems prohibitive in Gambia’s socio-economic context, potentially limiting political participation to the wealthy elite.
Further, the EFSCRJ criticized the bill’s reliance on attestations from Alkalolu and Seyfololu to verify citizenship, a practice they say is prone to manipulation, discrimination, and fraud due to inadequate oversight. The group also flagged the lack of robust regulations for political parties and campaign financing, warning that this leaves elections vulnerable to undue influence, vote-buying, and unfair advantages for those with access to state or illicit funds. Other provisions, including limited access to media and ineffective dispute resolution mechanisms, were cited as barriers to equitable electoral participation.
The EFSCRJ called on citizens, civil society, and the Independent Electoral Commission to advocate for an electoral law that safeguards inclusive suffrage and strengthens election integrity. The group reminded political parties, including UDP, PDOIS, NRP, NCP, GMC, and PPP—members of the 2012 Gambian Opposition for Electoral Reforms (GOFER)—of their 2015 pledge to address diaspora voting, attestation issues, and campaign financing. Similarly, the EFSCRJ urged President Barrow to honor his 2016 manifesto commitment to comprehensive electoral reforms.
The statement also evoked memories of the April 14, 2016, protest led by Solo Sandeng, whose demand for electoral reforms sparked a movement that contributed to the ousting of Gambia’s dictatorship. Sandeng’s arrest, torture, and death galvanized opposition and citizens, paving the way for the current leadership. The EFSCRJ emphasized that the Elections Bill, 2025, must honor this legacy by ensuring transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.
