Africa-Press – Gambia. Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe of Banjul on Sunday sharply criticized the Independent Electoral Commission for scheduling candidate registration for two upcoming municipal by-elections during the Christmas holiday, calling the move an exclusionary act that risks undermining democratic participation.
In a statement posted to her official Facebook page on Nov. 30, Ms. Lowe, who also serves as president of REFELA Africa, said the IEC’s plan to hold registration from Dec. 25 to 27 for the Brikama and Mansa Konko municipal districts amounted to “a profound oversight” that disregards the realities of many Gambians.
“The Independent Election Commission’s schedule for the upcoming municipal by-elections for the Brikama and Mansa Konko Municipal Districts is a profound oversight that directly undermines the principles of inclusive democracy,” she wrote.
Ms. Lowe argued that scheduling the process during one of the country’s most widely observed holidays would place a disproportionate burden on women, who she said often carry the dual responsibilities of family care and community obligations. Such a timetable, she added, risked limiting their ability to participate fully in the political process.
“To set candidate registration from December 25 to 27, 2025 – at the heart of the Christmas festivities—is to willfully ignore the reality for countless women and Christian faithful in our nation,” she said.
The Banjul mayor warned that the IEC’s timetable would create a serious obstacle for women seeking to participate in local politics, effectively muting their voices and shutting them out of governance.
“This scheduling is not neutral; it functions as a campaign of exclusion, disproportionately silencing women’s voices in the political process,” she stated. Lowe urged the commission to revise the registration and campaign calendar so that it reflects the country’s religious diversity and acknowledges the central role women play in public life.
“I urge an immediate review and rescheduling of the registration and campaign calendar to dates that respect both our national religious diversity and the indispensable role of women,” she said.
Mayor Lowe stressed that democratic participation must be open to everyone, especially those who shoulder the responsibilities of caring for families and communities. “Our democracy must be built for all, not just for those who are not busy holding our families and communities together,” she said.
Her remarks echo broader concerns about women’s political inclusion in The Gambia, where local elections play a crucial role in shaping community development. The IEC has not yet responded to the criticism.
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