A native of Kunting village in Central River Region’s Sami district has said that Gambians in the Diaspora are equal citizens of the country and they should be given the right to vote in the country’s elections particularly in presidential elections. Kalifa Sillah said Diasporans are one of those who regularly contribute to Gambia’s remittance through foreign currency exchange and contributing to national development. During the first phase meeting of a two-week civic education public sensitization campaign by National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) in his community, Mr. Sillah said Gambia should now be advancing to provide voting right opportunity to Gambians abroad. The NCCE and CRC civic education public sensitization campaign is meant to prepare and set the ground for the public consultations across the country.
Numukunda Kanyi, also a native of Kunting equally observed that Alkaloship position identification should continue to be done traditionally and not politically.
This is what has been happening for generations and should not be changed, said Numukunda Kanyi. He said, that mid last month Governor Sulayman Barry ordered Chief Morro Jawla to transfer Kunting Alkaloship from the Komma family who has been Alkalo of the village since its inception to Kebba Jawla.
He noted that they do not recognize the decision because it was politically motivated, saying that they will take their own measures if Government fails to intervene and revise the decision. He pointed out that the twelve previous Alkalos of the village were all from the Komma family.
Full Article: ‘Diaspora Gambians should have voting rights’ – The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia.