By Sarjo Brito
GMC leader and former Presidential adviser Mai Ahmad Fatty has issued a warning to non-Gambians to stay away from the country’s politics, especially the upcoming elections slated for December 2021.
The onetime Interior Minister during his press conference on Tuesday January 5, 2021 said he is urging anyone that is not Gambian to desist from taking any part in Gambia’s upcoming elections as it is for Gambians to decide.
‘’And I am telling people that are not Gambians to stay away from our politics and elections because our elections will be decided by Gambians and not non-Gambians. Those who are non-Gambians and are in this country, I will join you to fight for your rights to citizenship by following due process,” Fatty told reporters.
Mai insists that he is in no way trying to make life difficult for people who were born in this country to non-Gambian parents as he takes the issue of documentation seriously. The former Interior Minister has some two years ago convened a sub-regional meeting where other Interior Ministers from West Africa were invited to discuss matters relating to statelessness and documentation. Mai Fatty also condemned comments made during Barrow’s nationwide tour by one of his supporters, suggesting borders should be open so non-Gambians can participate in the upcoming elections.
‘’I condemn that statement too. If you are living around the frontiers of The Gambia and you are not a Gambian, keep away from our elections. Because I will tell you 2021 there is going to be changes and anybody who unlawfully tries to influence Gambian elections we will know because whatever government come in will look at the voters’ register again. It is an offence under Gambian law and if you commit it, we will go after you,” he said.
