Sections
DONATE
SUPPORT WWW.JOLLOFNEWS.COM
Account Login
Editorial: Let’s stop corrupt voter registration
Saturday, 14 May 2011 22:24
(Jollofnews) - The registration of voters has not even gone into two weeks when we are hearing from newspaper
reports quoting complainants that alleged malpractices such as wholesale attestation of suspicious claimants and near forceful mobilsation of people to register have become common practice.There are even very credible indications that some unscrupulous individuals allegedly with the blessing of the powers that be, bent on ensuring corrupt registration practice, have even sent forms to Senegal, Cassamance in particular, with a view to have cross border voting in favor of their party. These and
other corrupt practices aspects of our electoral process that our opposition politicians have neglected and one which has always tilted the balance in favor of the APRC. Yes cross border voting has been in practice since the PPP era, but where that was a simple case of illegal registration of foreigners resident in the country by the PPP, (well exposed by PDOIS) the APRC policy has been and continues to be the far more implicating practice of giving mass citizenship through the issuing of ID cards to non Gambians from all sides of the Gambia’s border and manipulate the electoral rules so that holding the ID card alone automatically qualifies one to vote..
This explains why, where and when these fictitious or freelance citizens did not vote, either because of lack of interest or motivation, or when the stakes are not high for their mobilisers, as in the case of the recent Wuli by elections, the turn out of registered voters always look low.
The Immigration department, the body that gives this very important national document cannot be absolved from this crime.
The institution is more less itself in foreign hands as people with questionable Gambianess heads the institution from top to bottom. Decent professionals in the department who are determine to defend the national interest and administer by the book, have all been rooted out along the years.
These men along with many others before and after them have been unlawfully and prematurely terminated because of their honesty and dedication to service and national interest and more importantly refusal to sell the nation to foreigners for the self interest of politicians be they APRC or any other party...
Another factor that fertilizes the ground for corrupt registration is the apparent failure by government to adopt Proper Street naming and numbering of compounds in towns such as Serekunda and its wards. Anyone can claim to be from Serekunda, and again claim he is from Bundung with a different voter’s card and no one on earth can verify that since there is no effective means of doing so, example proper number and street name. .Again we will give credit where it is due; PDOIS has pioneered the campaign for Proper Street naming since the PPP era.
Lastly but not the least is the involvement of security officials in the exercise. It is common knowledge that security chiefs ate guilty of open biasness in electoral matters demonstrated either by turning their homes and work places (barracks) to registration or attestation centres, This has been proven to be the case in the past and it is dirty and a betrayal of the national duty and responsibility conferred on these men in uniform.
Jollofnews Poll
Who do you think should be the next President of The Gambia?
Follow us on Twitter
-
VIDEO: The skyscrapers London never sawLondon's skyline would look very different today if some of the plans for towers and...
-
Signs of Tunisia recovery; Europe weighs: IMFWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tunisia's economy is showing signs of revival after popular protests last year...
-
Bristol Rovers Speed Merchant Could Be Racing To Posh(GamSports) – Peterborough United are thought to be one of a number of Championship sides...
Comments
Let jammeh go just like the way he came to power. PERIOD.
Comment
This is where opposition parties need a close look at, issues influencing our voting outcome, such malpractices have been aplenty; yaya knows why he said, he won’t campaign. According to a leading foroyaa, recently, “print of attestation forms, were allegedly being handled by KMC”; under the capable hands of yankuba colley, yaya’s APRC mobiliser? Ours is a pathetic story.
Comment
Here comes the BZOOKA; bam!!!
RSS feed for comments to this post.