Ousainou Allen, the interim leader of the National Alliance For Accelerated Advancement NAFAA, one of the so far unregistered political movements, has reacted to a recent declaration by the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission Joseph Colley who cautioned unregistered political parties against engaging in “reserved activities, including holding congresses.”
According to Allen, the IEC chairman’s comments have sparked an important national conversation, one that goes beyond legality and into the realm of logic, fairness, and democratic responsibility.
“It must be emphasised that within the nation-state called The Gambia, there should be no “sacred cows,” regardless of one’s political orientation, profession, or status in society. At face value, the chairman’s position is understandable. The legal framework governing political parties in The Gambia, particularly Section 60 of the Constitution and Part VIII of the Elections Act, sets out clear requirements for registration and participation,” he said
However, the leader of NAFAA noted that practical application of these requirements presents a contradiction that cannot be overlooked.
“A review of the IEC’s own registration guidelines reveals that any organisation seeking to become a political party must already demonstrate a high level of operational maturity. Applicants are required to present a fully constituted executive, establish a national footprint with regional offices across all administrative areas, and show evidence of widespread support, specifically a minimum of 10,000 registered voters, with at least 1,000 from each region.
So how can an aspiring political movement build such extensive structures without engaging in political mobilisation, outreach, and organisation?” Allen asked.
He said the very activities that the IEC is now cautioning political movements against are, in reality, the same activities required to meet the threshold for registration.
“It creates a circular constraint, one where compliance with the law becomes dependent on actions that may be interpreted as non-compliant.This is not merely a technical inconsistency, but a structural issue that risks limiting political participation, particularly for emerging movements that are still in the process of formation,” Allen said.
He added that useful analogy can be drawn from public procurement practices under the Gambia Public Procurement Authority. “In that context, a GPPA certificate is required for the award of a government contract, but not for the application to bid. This distinction is intentional. It allows new and existing entities alike to participate in the tendering process, while ensuring that only those who meet the full regulatory requirements are ultimately awarded contracts,” Allen said, arguing that if the same rigid logic being implied in the IEC’s caution were applied to procurement, it would mean that only pre-certified entities could even apply, effectively shutting out new entrants and undermining competition.
“Clearly, that is neither practical nor desirable.The political space should be no different. Registration should be the gateway to formal electoral participation, such as nominating candidates or accessing public electoral privileges, and not a barrier to the foundational processes of political organisation and citizen engagement,” he noted.
The NAFAA leader said added that equally concerning is the timing of the IEC Chairman’s pronouncement, at a time the country is entering a sensitive pre-election period ahead of the December polls.
“In such moments, public perception becomes as important as legal correctness. Every statement, every directive, and every caution issued by a state institution is viewed through the lens of electoral fairness. In this environment, even a legally grounded warning can be interpreted as politically consequential. A statement that appears to restrict the operational space of unregistered groups may be seen, rightly or wrongly, as limiting political competition at a critical time, which is why timing matters,” Allen said.
