Africa-Press – Gambia. If the National Assembly Member for Serekunda West, Madi Ceesay has his way, the notorious Public Order Act under which citizens are obliged to seek permit to hold peaceful protests, would be scrapped.
Human rights and pro-democracy groups have maligned the Act as a bad law that allows governments to suppress citizens’ right to freedom of assembly.
During the dictatorship of former president Jammeh, prominent opposition figures were sent to jail under the law and as recent as last week, dozens of youths were incarcerated at Mile II prisons for holding a procession without permit from the police.
Speaking to The Standard in the wake of the recent mass arrests of youths for breaking the Public Order Act, Hon Madi Ceesay said he will bring back a bill initially introduced by his colleague to repeal or amend the Act.
In 2023, the Assembly rejected a proposed change to the Public Order Act, through a private members bill filed by Sulayman Saho, the NAM for Central Badibou.
Saho’s bill sought to eliminate the need for a permit for public gatherings in favour of a notification requirement. “The goal of this change was to speed up the process and make Section 5 of the Act conform to worldwide human rights standards, notably those outlined by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights,” Hon Saho had argued at the time.
But following the recent incidents, many voices have been raised about the need to amend the law which the government is reluctant to do.
Hurdles
However according to Hon. Ceesay, who is also the chairperson of the National Assembly Select Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters, looking at the complexity of the current National Assembly, it can be hard to get the desired results.
“If you remember Hon Saho’s private members bill was prematurely killed in the floor by the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) NAMs. The opposition UDP NAMs are more than willing to amend the Act but we must get the support of other Members to make the number required to pass any such bill,” Ceesay lamented.
He said despite these foreseen challenges, he is committed to push for the reintroduction of Hon Saho’s bill and hopefully they will receive the support needed to pass it.
“I will contact Hon Saho and convince him to reintroduce the bill as soon as possible,” he said.
Commenting on the arrest and prosecution of the protesters, Ceesay said: “What had happened to the young protesters is regrettable, and I think they are vindicated when the president himself set up a committee to look into Pura’s actions. This is what the youths are asking for and they went on to crack on them. Now it is left to the Gambian people.”
The UDP NAM described the Public Order Act as “repressive” and “outdated,” emphasising that it contradicts both Gambian and international human rights standards.
Meanwhile, Hon Saho has welcomed the idea and said he would make further engagements especially with NAMs from other parties to gather support for the bill.
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