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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Sep 2016 : 14:47:41
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About 900,000 electors expected to vote in Dec polls
The Point: Wednesday, September 07, 2016
http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/about-900000-electors-expected-to-vote-in-dec-polls-1
 The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has disclosed the number of voters it has so far registered for the upcoming presidential election in The Gambia on 1 December 2016.
At a press briefing held yesterday at the Election House on Bertil Harding Highway, IEC Chairman Alieu Momar Njai said 2016 has been a very busy year for the Commission, as among its activities was the Supplementary registration of electors (voters) which started on Thursday 14 January and ended on 12 March 2016.
“The total number of registrants during the supplementary registration is 89, 649. The number of voters now stands at 886,578 as opposed to 796,929 in 2011. The number of polling stations is 1422 as opposed to 1300 in 2011,” the IEC Chairman announced.
It would be recalled that The Gambia has a population of 1.8 million inhabitants, and there are 53 constituencies across the country.
There is a replacement of lost, mutilated and defaced cards going on at the Election House and all IEC Regional Offices, he told the media.
“This exercise commenced on 1st June and will end on 29th September 2016,” Mr Njai said, adding that a replaced voting card attracts a minimal fee of D100.
A re-demarcation of some constituencies was carried out, and the number of constituencies is now 53, according to Mr Njai.
He said a fresh registration was not conducted in the affected areas, but the Commission will resort to putting constituency stickers on the voting cards of the affected voters to bring that situation in consonance with the law on Election Day.
Very imminent on the IEC calendar this year, he noted, is the Presidential Election, an exercise that will lead the nation into another era of electoral evolution and political growth and maturity.
Mr Njai said elections are universally recognised to form a very important role in safeguarding the desired peaceful environment of any nation.
He applauded the Independent Electoral Commission’s stance of upholding electoral integrity.
“Integrity is a difficult concept to define though, but an indispensable element of a democratic system of government as we very well desire for the Gambian situation,” he said.
“The concept of integrity is innate to the principles of democracy. Thus, this concept contributes immensely to the administration of free and fair elections, without which democracy would be compromised.”
It is in view of this that IEC has set out to define election integrity as a set of standards based on democratic principles, measures and mechanisms for protecting free and fair elections.
Mr Njai said election is the outcome of a complex process requiring the participation of a multitude of players such as: Election officials, government officials, political parties and politicians, security agents, Civil Society Organisations, donor agencies, the media, diplomatic missions, the judiciary and above all, the electorate.
“This is to say to you once again that, the electoral process of the Gambia is a business for all and that we all have to endeavour to see the full realization of a strong electoral process which will stand out to be admired by others in the Region and the world at large.”
The IEC chairman also appealed against violence, saying there are always winners and losers in every election.
He said: “The stakes may be high, and temptation may be great to ensure victory through illegal or morally questionable means in some countries.
“Election results may be rigged to predetermine who will win or lose, and election may be disrupted, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the process, but I stand here today to pronounce to you that, as far as our concerted efforts are in play, this will never be the case in our dear country.”
He further stated: “The Independent Electoral Commission believes that an election without integrity subverts the purpose of a democratic election, and cannot be considered fair and equitable.
“The IEC will ever concentrate on conducting free and fair elections. This, I believe we will ever achieve by upholding governing principles such as: respect for principles of electoral democracy; ethical conduct; accuracy and transparency.”
Mr Njai said the governing principles of the election guarantee free and fair elections as essential conditions for election uprightness.
“A free election on one hand depends on freedom of speech, assembly, association and movement, and freedom from fear.
“A fair election on the other hand depends on transparent electoral process, equitable electoral legislation and systems, equal opportunities for all participants, an independent and impartial elections commission, and absence of intimidation, proper procedures, and acceptance of the electoral results.”
He, therefore, appealed to all stakeholders to avoid violence of any sort and make the election violence-free.
IEC activities
The Independent Electoral Commission, in exercise of its mandate under section 46 of the Constitution of The Gambia and Section 40 of the Elections Act, wishes to inform the general public that election to the office of President of the Republic of The Gambia will be conducted on Thursday 1st December 2016.
The public is hereby informed that the IEC, acting under Section 47 of the Constitution and 42(1) of the Elections Act will receive nomination of candidates for the said election of President of the Republic of the Gambia from 7th to 10th November 2016 between the hours of 8 o’clock in the fore noon and 4 o’clock in the afternoon at the IEC Headquarters, Bertil Harding Highway.
In exercise of its powers given in Section 85 of the Elections Act, the IEC wishes to announce that the campaign period for the said election will be held from Wednesday, 16th November 2016 to Tuesday, 29th November 2016.
The public is hereby also notified under Section 5(2) of the Elections Act that the appointed Returning Officer for the election of the Office of the President of the Republic of the Gambia is Alieu Momarr Njai, Chairman of the IEC.
Nomination papers can be collected from the IEC Headquarters from 3rd October 2016.
Polls will open at 8am and close at 5pm. Counting of ballots will be done immediately after the close of polls. In essence, the Polling Stations would be converted to Counting Centres.
The IEC is partnering with the NCCE and other stakeholders in order to engage on massive voter sensitisation. This is made possible with funding from the Government and UNDP.
The Interparty Committee
The IEC chairman also disclosed that the Interparty Committee in The Gambia has been reactivated, and they meet periodically at the Election House. This is a forum in which political parties discuss issues pertinent to politics, elections and the electoral environment.
“I want to reiterate the fact that throughout the electoral process, political party agents are present – from registration to declaration of results. Therefore, the electoral process is transparent, free and fair.”
IEC Chairman Alieu Momar Njai announced the theme for the elections as: “The Gambia Decides: I am voting, are you?”
“This is the theme for this cycle of elections – 2016-2018,” the IEC chairman declared.
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2016 : 21:47:24
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AN INCREASE OF 89,649 IN THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS
Foroyaa: September 7, 2016
http://www.foroyaa.gm/archives/11988
There were 796,929 registered voters before the supplementary registration of voters this year. Hence this number of voters joined the list. Some people have started questioning how a population of 1.88 million according to the last census could have 886,578 registered voters.
Foroyaa will contact statisticians so that they will be able to gather the facts from the last census to enable us to know how many Gambians are above 18 years of age. It is evident that the census has provided the number of people who are within certain age range. We cannot give the facts by relying on the census because the ages 15 to 19 are grouped together.
We would recommend that in subsequent census the age grouping would take into consideration the age delineation between children and adults. Under Gambian law 18 years is the voting age. Hence it is good to classify age groups below 18 and those that are 18 and above. If that was done we would have been able to indicate how many Gambians are within the age range for voters so that one would be able to gauge whether the 886,578 persons who are now registered as voters are equivalent to the number of people who have the right to vote in The Gambia. Facts should substitute speculation. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2016 : 21:52:07
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IEC Gears Up For December 1 Presidential Election
By Kebba Jeffang
Foroyaa: September 7, 2016
http://www.foroyaa.gm/archives/11984#more-11984
 The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Tuesday, September 06, 2016 convened a press conference to launch its IEC Chairman Alieu Momar Njieactivities leading to the December 1st Presidential election at the Election House in Kanifing.
The event also witnessed interventions from representatives of the political parties in the country, especially from the opposition, who took the opportunity to raise some of the challenges they face during the election process and that need to be addressed by the IEC in order to ensure a free and fair presidential election.
Presenting his statement, Mr. Alieu Momarr Njai, the IEC Chairman, said the Commission this year has a very busy engagement. He said some of the activities they were implementing included the supplementary registration of voters which commenced from 14 January to 12 March earlier this year.
The IEC Chairman said the total number of registrants during the supplementary exercise is 89, 649 people. He said the number of voters now stands at 886, 578 as opposed to 2011 general registration which recorded 769, 929. He also said that the number of polling stations has risen from 1300 in 2011 to 1422 this year.
“There is a replacement of lost, mutilated and defaced cards going on at the election house and all IEC regional offices. This exercise commenced on 1st June and will end on the 29th September 2016. A replaced voting card attracts a minimal fee of D100,” he said.
The head of national election operations also noted that a re-demarcation of some constituencies was carried out and the number of constituencies has now increased to 53 from 48. He said a fresh registration was not conducted in the affected areas but the Commission will resort to putting constituency stickers on the voting cards of the affected voters to bring that situation in consonance with the law on Election Day.
Dilating further on the importance of this forthcoming national event, he said elections are universally recognized to form a very important role in safeguarding the desired peaceful environment of any nation. He said the stance of the IEC is to set out to define election integrity as a set of standards based on democratic principles, measures and mechanisms for protecting free and fair elections.
“An election is the outcome of a complex process requiring the participation of a multitude of players such as election officials, government officials, political parties and politicians, security agents, civil society organsiations, donor agencies, the media, diplomatic missions, the judiciary and above all, the electorate. This is to say that the electoral process of the Gambia is a business for all and that we all have to endeavour to see the full realization of a strong electoral process which stands out to be admired by others in the region and the world at large, he added.
Mr. Njai therefore appealed to all stakeholders to avoid violence of any sort and make this election violent free.
“The public is hereby informed that the IEC, acting under Section 47 of the Constitution and 42(1) of the Election Act will receive nomination of candidates for the said election of the President of the republic of the Gambia from 7th to 10th November between the hours of 8am to 4pm at the headquarters,” he said.
Mr. Njai further informed that the campaign period for the said election will commence from Wednesday 16th November, to Tuesday, 29th November, 2016. He said nomination papers can be collected from the IEC from 3rd October.
On the day of election, the IEC Chairman said the polling stations will open at 8am and close at 5pm while counting of the ballots will be done immediately after the close of the polls, meaning the polling stations would be converted to counting centers. He said throughout the electoral process, political party agents are present from the registration to declaration of results. “Therefore, the electoral process is transparent, free and fair,” he said.
Regarding voter education, the IEC Chairman said his office in partnering with the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) and other stakeholders in order to engage on massive voter sensitization. “This is made possible with funding from the government and UNDP,” he added.
He also noted that “the Interparty Committee has been reactivated and they meet periodically at the Election House. This is a forum in which political parties discuss issues pertinent to politics, elections and the electoral environment.”
Mr. Njai concluded that the theme of the election cycle is “The Gambia decides; I am voting. are you?”
In the interventions of party representatives during the question and answer session, the issues that were raised include the need to increase the short duration of the 14 days of official campaign period, support for party agents to be represented at all the polling stations to monitor both the voting and counting processes in the interest of transparency and ensuring the credibility of the election, address any confusion to voters arising from the newly demarcated constituencies, prevent government, local government and ruling party officials, other than the party agents, from visiting polling stations to intimidate and influence voters, among others.
The IEC officials, however, gave assurance that all the concerns raised will be looked into and addressed.
The electoral officials who were at the press conference included Mr. Malleh Sallah, Vice Chamber, Mr. Anthony Robert Secka, Member, Lamin Cham, Member, Mr. Sambujang Njie, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and senior members of staff.
Mr. Joseph Colley, who is in charge of communication at IEC, chaired the press conference. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Momodou
Denmark
11641 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2016 : 21:19:40
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IEC Chairman assures transparent election with spot counting of results
By Kebba Jeffang
Foroyaa: September 8, 2016
http://www.foroyaa.gm/archives/12011
“I am the returning officer but I will be the last person to know who wins or loses the election. This is because of the introductionIEC Chairman Alieu Momar Njie of spot counting where all the votes will be counted and known by 6pm on election day at every polling station,” said Mr. Alieu Momarr Njai, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
The IEC Chairman said this in an exclusive interview with Foroyaa on Tuesday, 6th September, in his office situated at the Bertil Harding Highway in Kanifing, while assuring the general public that there will be independence, transparency and fair-play in the forthcoming presidential election slated for 1st December, this year.
“I can assure the general public that IEC is fair enough to preside over this presidential election independently and with fair play,” he said.
Mr. Njai said this time round there will be a returning officer at every polling station and party agents representing their various parties who will all sign the counted result after they have confirmed who wins at that particular center. He said thereafter the returning officers will send the results to the returning offices, again in the presence of the party agents, before it is transmitted to him (returning officer) for final declaration through announcement in the media.
He said it will be the same when it is a coalition whose agents at the polling centers will also sign along with the returning officers. “The result will now have to be transmitted to me for media announcement,” he said.
The IEC Chair said with this arrangement in place there cannot be any differences in the figures as the party agents will know and endorse the results before they are announced.
“And to determine who wins or loses is by having free and transparent election and the voters must be bonafide Gambians with a qualified right to have voters card. The voters should make sure nobody knows who they voted for because you were alone in the polling room and at the end of the day you will know who wins or loses. The IEC officers and the party agents will confirm everything at the polling center. What is more transparent than this,” he asked.
On the issue of civil servants openly supporting and campaigning for the ruling party, the IEC Chair said the laws do not allow them to do so but added that there is an exception in the case of the president who goes along with his entourage as is happening in other countries.
On the issue of free and equal access to the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) during the campaign period, Mr. Njai said “for the state TV, the period that we are in charge, we give them equal airtime starting from 14 November to 29th November 2016.”
The Chairman added that IEC as an institution is charged with the responsibility to conduct elections in the country and whoever is here must abide by the rules and regulations that are governing the electoral process.
On the issue of the replacement of voters card which attracts the fee of D100 which is considered prohibitive by many people, the IEC head said it is costly to process a voter’s card and is therefore advising the Gambian voters that any person who has it must handle it with care. He said the purpose of D100 is to make people to be responsible and take good care in handling their cards.
Meanwhile, Chairman Njai reminded that the replacement process for defaced and loss cards are still ongoing at all the IEC offices and that people should go and replace their cards in order to be qualified to vote. He clarified that this replacement process does not include fresh acquisition of cards as the supplementary registration has ended since March which allows for the issuing of new cards.
He, therefore, urged all qualified Gambians who have their cards lost or defaced to replace them before the deadline of 29th September. He said he is also urging the presidential candidates, parliamentarians and councilors to ask their supporters to come for replacement since they need those votes. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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About 900,000 electors expected to vote in Dec pol
