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Momodou
Denmark
11732 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Oct 2010 : 09:01:07
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DailyNews Editorial: Avoid Voter Apathy in 2011 Elections
Having learnt lessons from the 2006 elections, the plans ahead of the 2011 elections should not be pursued without prioritizing voter sensitization on the agenda to avoid voter apathy.
Statistics showed that that in 2006 there were 670, 336 registered voters in the Gambia.
President Jammeh of APRC polled 264,404 which accounts for 67.33% of the total votes cast, Ousainou Darboe of UDP secured 104,808 votes which represents 26.69% of the votes and Halifa Sallah NADD got 23,473 votes equivalent to 5.98% of the votes cast.
The above is indicative of the dull political traffic light of the Gambia as 277, 651 voters have not cast their votes. Some attributed it to inducement, in which some people sold their votes, others attributed it to lack confidence in the opposition for the break away after the formation of NADD coalition.
The fact of the matter is that, we should not just stop at assuming, but to find out exactly what was responsible for such apathy in The Gambia because the fear for voter apathy in the 2011 elections is looming.
The lack of consistent voter education or sensitization will not address the problem of apathy. There are a lot of pessimism shown by many voters across the country and this needs to be resolved.
Political parties, the Independent Electoral Commission and the Civic Education Council should not be comfortable with this situation in the country’s political life.
For our part, we want to make it crystal clear to voters that lack of casting one’s vote is not the solution to be relieved from any political grievance. Apathy is a denial oneself of a fundamental constitutional right. Those who don’t know what they own cannot know what they want. So anyone who knows what he or she owns should cast his vote as his or her voice.
All those who have not participated in voting during the presidential elections in 2006 and parliamentary in 2007 should try to do so in 2011. Gambians should go and register in the forthcoming general registration in early 2011. The vote of a citizen is his or her most powerful weapon. Citizens who do not vote have no voice in their country.
Source: DailyNews
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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