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Momodou
Denmark
11827 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Jan 2011 : 20:11:42
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Dailynews Editorial: Is the IEC a Moribund? Voters Should Not Grope in the Dark
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) since the end of the year 2010 has been expected to make public its plan for the 2011 presidential election, especially the general registration of voters.
The general registration of voters is not an easy undertaking as one may consider. It involves the registration of all citizens who attain the voting age of 18 years, in accordance with universal suffrage.
In our efforts to reach the IEC chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Carayol in November 2010, we were reliably informed that he was not in the country, that he would be back in December. In our continuous pursuit to reach him again, a source close to the IEC informed this paper that there will be a training of journalists on electoral matters and that the chairman did not want to talk to the press at the moment.
Voters should not grope in the dark. They deserve information from the IEC. Public has raised concern over the present state of the IEC, because it can’t idly look at the electoral body be a moribund.
IEC as the independent electoral body of the country should not shy away from giving any vital information to the press. IEC’s independence should not allow it to dodge journalists or hesitate to publish anything that is in the interest of The Gambia’s democratization. Both the pessimism and optimism of voters in the electoral process lie in the IEC.
Silence and dodging from the press could breed speculations and suspicion, amid the kingship campaign to crown the president king of The Gambia. In this kind of a situation, it is significant for the IEC to keep the public abreast with what their plans are for the election year 2011. The Gambia is now facing a situation where silence can never be for gold, but should be broken for good.
Apart from informing the public, it should also start the recruiting and training of registration officers as usual, because all those who have participated in the previous exercise cannot be available, hence the need for recruitment of some new officers.
The IEC should show the whole world that they are an independent mandated body for electoral matters that and that it is capable and ready to allow people an undiluted choice to select their leaders to steer the affairs of their country.
When the IEC stated at the National Assembly outreach forum at the Paradise suites in Kololi that the call for no election is a non-starter and should be discouraged, they received applause from the public for standing on their feet.
In the same vein, if they want to continue to have the public trust they have to act and should not hesitate to clear the doubt of the voters on any shortcoming that is affecting their operations.
The publics is wondering what made the IEC unsettled until now; whether there is a lack of finance or it is still waiting for the dust of the kingship campaign to settle before it begins its activities for the 2011 election.
It is only IEC that can clarify these issues. We concur with the IEC’s presentation at the National Assembly’s Paradise Suites outreach that election is a conflict resolution mechanism, but they should act or tell voters what is wrong.
The continuous silence will help the rumour mill to continue manufacturing and the rumour mongers’ efforts should not overcome the efforts for clarification, otherwise speculations and rumours will persist to amplify suspicion which will put the credibility of the IEC on the line. If its credibility is questioned its integrity will be affronted.
Source: Dailynews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Janyanfara
Tanzania
1350 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2011 : 00:10:15
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I don't trust Mustapha Carrol to officiate elections in the Gambia and no geniune Gambian should.
This man is APRC bone and flesh.I knew this since he was the returning officer in Janjan buray.
I don't understand why the opposition still allows his officiating elections. |
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Moe
USA
2326 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jan 2011 : 06:48:18
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Explain Jayanafara, I wanna know what exactly Mr Carayol did that makes him APRC since you knew him since Janjan-burray. Just remember agreeing with the policies of any government has nothing absolutely to do with his political views and beliefs. Your statements are once again bogus and slanderous as has been for the past week. The problem with most of ya'll is the fact that you do not understand democracy and 3/4 of ya'll are a bunch of Idealist and you can bet on that. Why should Mr Carayol not be Trusted please elaborate.........................................................................Peace quote:
Originally posted by Janyanfara
I don't trust Mustapha Carrol to officiate elections in the Gambia and no geniune Gambian should.
This man is APRC bone and flesh.I knew this since he was the returning officer in Janjan buray.
I don't understand why the opposition still allows his officiating elections.
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I am Jebel Musa better yet rock of Gibraltar,either or,still a stronghold and a Pillar commanding direction
The GPU wants Me Hunted Down for what I don't know ..... |
Edited by - Moe on 21 Jan 2011 06:48:52 |
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