Africa-Press – Gambia. A chieftain of the main opposition United Democratic Party in Bundung, Sulayman Dampha, has urged the executive and the judiciary to introduce a bill in the National Assembly to punish Gambians who attained 18 years and acquired voter’s cards but refuse to participate in elections.
Dampha told: “In The Gambia, people participate more massively in presidential elections than in National Assembly or local government elections. This is very bad for our country. Parliamentary and the local government elections are very important because parliamentarians make laws while mayors, chairmen and the are councillors are responsible for our local governments and deal directly with people and communities at the grassroots level.
“Government spends a lot of money organising elections and these monies come from taxpayers. Therefore, President Barrow and his government, of course including the National Assembly should draft and pass a bill to legalise compulsory voting for all Gambians of age who acquire voter’s cards.
“Of all the bills they pass at the National Assembly, this would be one of the most important because it would compel the people to participate proactively in choosing who and how the country is governed at all levels. For example, I am suggesting that defaulters be denied access to documents, like passports, national ID cards and driver’s licences,” he said.
He said by choosing apathy, such people, are complicit in entrenching the suffering and dysfunction in the country and should not complain.
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