Africa-Press – Gambia. The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) has expressed dismay in the Gambia government’s planned introduction of media regulations, stating that it believes it’s an attempt to censor the media.
In its Monday presser, the leader of GDC, Mamma Kandeh, registers its disappointment over any attempt from the government to “muzzle” the freedom of speech and expression which is a fundamental right under the 1997 constitution section 25(1).
“Censoring the media will suppress free speech, destroy the accuracy of information, and foster dictatorship control by manipulating the narrative,” Mr. Kandeh remarked.
The GDC says the media is the fourth state in the country’s democracy and any attempt to silence or control it will hinder transparency and accountability in the newfound democracy.
The GDC says people are entitled to their diverse viewpoints, which should be respected but not to ultimately diminish democratic accountability and polarize societal viewpoints, stressing that open dialogue encourages the free exchange of dissenting ideas and allows citizens to make informed decisions.
According to the party, the government should not use censorship as a tool to control public perception to weaken opposition and extend it to control social media platforms, pointing out that this is an embarrassing plan.
“It is very embarrassing that the government of the day will make any attempt to silence the media after brutal attacks on the former regime over freedom of speech and expressions.”
The GDC distances itself from any framework that is meant to skew public opinion, controls information channels, censorship, distorts the truth, and hinders critical thinking on issues affecting the country.
According to the opposition party, it implies that this attempt by the government through the Minister of Information clearly demonstrates the government approach to undermine accountability and transparency.
“This begs the question of whether the government is censoring the media to hide corruption, scandals, or failure,” the GDC highlighted.
The party calls on Gambians to stand firm to protect the country’s democracy, admitting that the media is very vital in ensuring accountability, informing citizens, and providing platforms for debate over issues.
GDC also enjoins the Media Council of The Gambia and Gambia Press Union as professional and independent bodies that handle and serve as self-regulatory bodies to handle any issue and enforce code of conduct for the media.
Mamma Kandeh further calls on the media operators to be law-abiding and independent in the exercise of their duties.
