By Omar Bah
Electoral commission chairman Joseph Colley has made a strong and unequivocal commitment to delivering free, fair, and transparent elections.
In his first public engagement with political parties, partners, civil society and the media yesterday at the launching of the Electoral Commission’s 2026-2027 elections calendar, Colley emphasised that his tenure would be marked by inclusivity, accountability, and innovation to bolster public trust.
“I want to take this opportunity to reiterate the resolve and commitment of the commission to the execution of its mandate without fear or favour as provided by law. The IEC is a law-abiding institution and all its acts or activities shall be guided by the respect of the rule of law, accountability and fair- play at all times.”
He said IEC doors are always open for any clarification.
“I hope this will help stem incidences of fake news and misinformation and disinformation targeting not just the IEC but also other stakeholders as well. The commission would like to reassure the electorate and all stakeholders of its continued commitment and resolve to deliver free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible elections to Gambians at all times,” he assured.
He however emphasised that the success of free, fair, and transparent elections hinges on collaborative effort among all electoral stakeholders.
“If everyone does his or her part, the work becomes lighter, and the public can trust the system,” he affirmed.
Commenting on political responsibility, Colley said political affiliation is enshrined in the Constitution as a human right.
“However, we urge all to exercise this right responsibly and within the limits of the law. There are certain people claiming to have formed political parties without following due process by registering with the IEC. I would like to draw our attention to the fact that registration of a bona fide political party is subject to the fulfilment of certain legal requirements.”
He said the Commission respects the principles of political plurality and has no reason to prevent any group or individual from exercising its political rights and freedoms.
“Those seeking to register political parties should fully comply with the stipulated legal requirements before engaging in party related political activities. Let us not put the cart before the horse!”
“The commission would like to seize this opportunity to remind all political parties of their responsibilities towards the promotion of peace and tolerance and to fully comply with the laws of the land,” he added.
In response to calls for modernisation, especially the debate around maintaining the marble-in-drum voting system versus adopting paper ballots, Colley took a cautious stance. He affirmed that any changes to voting methods must be driven by stakeholder consensus and legal amendments, not unilateral decisions by the commission.
