Africa-Press – Gambia. Biran Gai, a political science lecturer at the University of The Gambia, has urged members of the National Assembly to remind the president that the “Meet the People Tour” is intended as a nonpartisan government initiative, not a political campaign.
“The National Assembly, which is responsible for allocating funds for this tour, must stand their authority and remind the president that the tour is not meant for political events,” Gai said in an exclusive interview. “If they are meant for political events, then issues around allocation of finances must be looked at by the lawmakers, the very people who allocate resources to the government for this tour.”
Gai noted that there have been instances where the Assembly approved a specific budget for the tour, only for the president and his administration to exceed it. He acknowledged that some may see the legislature as powerless in such matters, but stressed the importance of checks and balances in holding the government accountable. “But then questions around checks and balances need to be asked about which institutions can actually hold the government accountable at this point in time.”
He expressed skepticism about the government being held accountable on this issue. Gai suggested that constitutional reform might be an option but questioned its necessity, noting that the provision in question already exists in the constitution. “Why do we need reform?” he asked.
Gai emphasized that leaders must remain mindful of constitutional principles and take all necessary measures to ensure that the rule of law is upheld and that government actions align with the constitution.
He further noted that the presence of NPP officials accompanying the president on the tour blurs the line between government initiatives and partisan politics.
“While such tours should reflect a government agenda focused on the needs of the people rather than political interests, it is crucial that those in power operate within the bounds of the law,” Gai said.
He added, “But recently, as we know, it has been heavily politicized, and therefore the NPP officials accompanying the president is a justification of that opposition. So I think one can categorically say that the manner in which these tours are conducted by the presidents is not in line with the spirit of constitutionalism because of the political nature,” he said.
He emphasized the need to increase advocacy around the “Meet the People Tour” and to hold the government accountable, noting that millions of taxpayers’ dalasis are allocated for the initiative. “These funds are intended to serve the public, not to advance the political agenda of the NPP,” he said.
He further criticized the tour for being “heavily politicized” since the era of former President Yahya Jammeh, arguing that it has consistently been used as a platform to promote ruling party campaigns rather than address citizens’ concerns.
“So I think the purpose has been defeated and hijacked by politicians using the tour to communicate a political message rather than a national message,” he said.
Source: Kerr Fatou Online Media House
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