By Ousman A. Marong
The leader of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), Honourable Mama Kandeh has reiterated his rejection of the 2021 presidential election results that declared President Adama Barrow the winner. Speaking at a rally in Kitty village, West Coast Region, Kandeh emphasised that his rejection was based on substantial evidence of election rigging.
“The evidence is there, and the IEC should be very mindful,” Kandeh stated. “Two institutions in Africa are always responsible for all the problems surrounding election issues, and these two institutions are the Independent Electoral Commissions and the justice systems in Africa.”
Kandeh expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the petition, citing technicalities. “Was that enough evidence to say the petition was not right?” he questioned, adding that such decisions deny citizens their rights.
According to Kandeh, the judiciary’s role should be to uphold justice and equality, rather than siding with the incumbent. “Siding with the incumbent, leaving out the rest, and you are expected to remain neutral would always cause misunderstanding, problems, lack of trust amongst the people you are expected to serve,” he said.
Kandeh also criticised the ruling party for allegedly engaging in electoral malpractices, such as bribery and enticement. “We have seen top-ranking members of the ruling party going around with state resources enticing the electorate to vote for them,” he alleged, questioning why the president would need to resort to such tactics if he had genuinely done enough for the people.
In his conclusion, Kandeh emphasised the importance of equal rights and justice for all Gambians. “No Gambian is better than the other, and therefore, there should be equal rights and justice,” he stated,
warning that failure to uphold these principles could lead to unrest.