By Tabora Bojang
The National Assembly yesterday voted to amend a clause in the Election Bill to increase the fees for the registration of a political party from D1 million to D2 million.
The current law obliges parties to deposit D1 million to the Independent Electoral Commission to enable them to be registered.
But yesterday, the Assembly voted 12 to 5 to increase it to D2 million.
According to the Assembly’s committee on human rights, the recommendation to increase the fees was made by the IEC.
Before taking votes, a number of lawmakers in the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) supported the increment arguing it is “reasonable.”
Member for Nianija Amadou Camara opined that even though Gambia is a democratic state, “we cannot be having hundreds of parties in our democratic space.”
Member for Upper Fulladu Bakary Kora agreed, arguing that “registering a political party should not be a child’s play”, recommending the fees be increased to D4 million instead.
Majority leader Billay G Tunkara, also welcomed the increment saying it is in line with the current realities.
Nominated member Kebba Lang Fofana too echoed support for the increase, arguing that political parties are not small businesses. “They are a government in waiting. In this country today, certain parties only bear the name and are only out for business. The law must be a safeguard to ensure anyone who wishes to form a political party is genuine. I think we should raise the bar. You cannot form a party for business or fund raising,” Fofana said.
However, Foni Bintang NAM Bakary Badjie who is aspiring to contest in the 2026 presidential election, condemned the move and urged his colleagues to maintain the fees at D1 million.
Member for Brikama South Lamin J Sanneh also opposed the increment, arguing that the constitution of the Gambia explicitly promotes multiparty democracy, part of which includes the right of people to come together and form a political party. He warned that if the fee is increased, it will prevent productive Gambians from participating in national politics.
When asked to comment on the proposal, Justice Minister Dawda Jallow said the issue is not a legal matter and so he will leave it with lawmakers to decide. According to the minister, lawmakers should instead put more emphasis on enforcement of laws regulating the operations of political parties.
“Even if we leave the fees at D1million, how many people can afford that? But after you register you need a lot of money to maintain the party. I think the IEC is being sympathetic but if they enforce the laws, a lot of political parties will be deregistered. Imagine all parties are required to have a functional office in all the regions, and to be regularly organising congresses and so on. I think the emphasis should be for IEC to ensure they implement the laws,” the minister noted.
The Member for Serekunda Musa Cham said the arguments to increase the fees is not productive and accused those in support of it of attempting to “block the proper dispensation of political justice.”
He said this was one of the problems the opposition parties faced under former president Jammeh. He wondered why the Barrow government could go back to laws it opposed under the dictator. “We are making a situation whereby only the rich people will partake in politics,” Hon Cham warned.
