Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission in recent years suffered series of official interference from the executive. Commission officials had been subjected to routine hiring and firing. The President fires Commission officials who failed to toe to his line. Commission Chairmen Gabriel Roberts and Teilewa Johnson were both fired for no official reasons.

Gabriel Roberts presided over the controversial 1996 Presidential elections, which Western governments considered as “neither free nor fair.” The said polls were characterized by massive rigging, intimidation, torture and in some instances killing. UDP supporters were stopped at the Denton Bridge crossing point by state guards led by agriculture Minister Yankuba Touray and jailed MP Baba K Jobe. Opposition supporters and officials were brutally tortured by armed guards. Mr. Sanying, a UDP executive member who could not withstand the torture later died after a brief illness. A pregnant woman was also killed during a stampede, at West field when state guards soldiers pursued opposition followers.

The current IEC is composed of former government workers who owed allegiance to President Jammeh and his party. The commission officials never hide their support for Jammeh. It is gathered that they received orders from the President, who is a main key player in the so called democratization process. Local IEC sources told the Freedom Newspaper that the country’s electoral register was dominated by non Gambians mainly from southern province of Casamance. Our source said the Immigration Department facilitated the issuance of Gambian identity cards to these non Gambians who succeeded in invading the electoral file.

Sacked Sos Maffi Jarju, Aljuma holding Gambian passports!!!

“The Immigration embarked on a secret random issuance of voters cards in Foni recently. Kalagi, Sebanor, and other villages along the border were targeted. Most of those issued with the ID cards were not citizens. This is why Jammeh could could not sack Immigration boss Musa Mboob. Mboob did a lot of dirty job for him. Mboob is posed to expose him if he is given the marching orders. The man knows a lot about the well organized electoral fraud.” said our source.

Banjul International Airport!!!

An insider at the Immigration Department confirmed to the Freedom Newspaper about the said issuance of ID cards to non Gambians. The insider said such practices had been a common routine at Immigration posts along the border. “Most of the IDS issued goes into the pockets of our seniors. We the juniors are usually given small amount of money. The ID’S issued to the non Gambians are usually not accounted for. They asked us not to record it on the main register. It is unfair for our bosses to receive several thousands when we the ones doing the donkey job are being sidelined. This is unfair. The immigration Department should be audited.” said the disgruntled immigration officer.

According to another top official of the institution, the President’s recent mass promotion of the men and women of the Immigration was seen as a “compensation” for the services the staff accorded to his party by issuing Gambian documents to non Gambians. The source said the issuance of IDS to non Gambians was still going on in some parts of the country. “ I was part of those who took part in the operation. The information I’m giving you is accurate. The IEC is aware about the said mass ID card issuance by the Immigration Department. The October polls have already been rigged. I will release the list to you soon.” said our source.

Under the Gambian laws before one qualifies to get a voters card he or she must possesses birth certificate, state ID or chief’s attestation letter to be backed by elders in a particular community. This reporter who witnesses numerous voter registration in The Gambia said he witnessed instances where applicants believed to be non Gambians were turned down due to lack of evidence about their so called Gambian citizenship. Most of those turned down hardly speak any of the local languages, which is strange under normal Gambian settings. They only speak Jolla, the President’s language.

What is evident though is that our electoral register had been invaded by non Gambians. It will take years for such cross border voters to be expunged from the main register. Local IEC officials say it is only the revising courts that have such powers. The Freedom Newspaper will continue to dig into this APRC/IEC well planned electoral graft.