By Ousman Jatta
The alkalo of Manduar Mandinka the original founders of Manduar has said the people of Manduar Touba should be told the truth.
Clashes erupted between the two Manduars on Monday as a result of Touba Manduar’s attempt to be in charge of their own voter registration by having their own alkalo endorse the attestation forms of their villagers. But some youth from Manduar Mandinka allegedly decided to interrupt the whole attestation process by allegedly refusing for Manduar Touba alkalo issue attestation to Touba Manduar residents.
But speaking to The Fatu Network, Alkalo Jerreh Bojang, said while he is not against the alkaloship of Mandouar Touba, he was never informed about the alkaloship of Mandour Touba.
“Mandour Touba should be told the truth,” the alkalo added.
Riot police stormed the registration center on Tuesday breaking a crowd of the angry youths with tear gas.
But one youth of Manduar Mandinka said: “Since 1996, we have been registering with our neighbours from Mandour Touba. This year if you see they decided to have their own attestation, they have strangers whom they want to give attestation to, in order for them to a have a voter’s card.”
Making comments on the clash over attestation, Superintendent Lamin Njie explained: ’’There is Manduar Mandinka and Manduar Touba of the Wolof. The IEC had designated a voter registration center for Manduar. This center is based at the Manduar Mandinka Kunda.
“But there is the other side which is Manduar Touba who have their own Alkalo and this Alkalo is a legally appointed alkali. So the IEC realized that since they are both alkalos and there is one registration center, they suggested that the two alkalos can come at the registration center or maybe they can all be designated as people can give attestation in case there is anybody who needs attestation.
“But the people in the Mandinka area said that is not possible because the only recognized Alkalo is their own Alkalo, the other Alkalo cannot participate in that process. I understand that the other Alkalo came with his table and stuff, but were disrupted by the people of Manduar Manding, who even when to the extent of instigating violence. This was why the police decided to intervene and deploy officers there and control the situation. So in that process, five people have been arrested for obstruction related issues.”
