Majority Leader’s Motion Sparks Controversy in Diaspora Vote Debate

Deputy Speaker Seedy S. Njie © Askanwi

By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT

Members of the National Assembly's Sixth Legislature are currently struggling to progress the consideration of the Elections Bill 2021 beyond the issue of the rights of Gambians living abroad to register and vote today, 25th March 2025.

Numerous members, including Hon. Suwaibou Touray, Hon. Omar Jammeh, Hon. Sainey Jawara, and others, have made efforts to reintroduce clause 14 (Registration of Gambians Living Abroad) of the Elections Bill, which instructs the Independent Electoral Commission to register Gambians living abroad to vote in elections.

However, they were rebuffed by the nominated Deputy Speaker, Hon. Seedy S. Njie, who has taken up his seat as the Chair of the Committee of the Whole and members of the Majority Caucus. Due to this impasse, the Chair is struggling to advance the parliamentary proceedings beyond clause 24 of the same Elections Bill.

The deadlock arose after Hon. Billay Tunkara, the Majority Leader, moved a motion to amend clauses referring to Gambians living abroad or in foreign countries. The challenge is that parliamentarians have deleted Clause 14, which focuses on the registration of Gambians living abroad. However, several additional clauses still refer to Gambians living abroad and foreign countries.

Firstly, electoral division is defined in Clause 2 (Interpretation) as meaning “a Constituency, District, Ward or other area for which a candidate is elected and, in the case of a Presidential election, the whole country, and such Constituency that may be created for the Gambian diaspora in foreign countries.”

Additionally, seven clauses—namely, Clauses 6, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, and 152—all include the terms "Gambians living abroad" and "foreign countries."

Since the session began after 10:00 a.m., the only business conducted, besides the usual review of minutes from the previous meeting, has been the consideration of just six clauses. At the time of publication, after 1:00 p.m., it appears unlikely that Parliament will manage to consider 18 clauses, as it did on 3rd March 2025.

It remains to be seen by the end of the day how many clauses will have been considered by Parliament. Follow Askanwi for a full report by the end of the end.