By: Mama A. Touray
Following the rejection of the diaspora’s right to vote during the country’s electoral period yesterday, the Secretary-General and Party Leader of the People’s Alliance Party (PAP), Ebrima Tabora Manneh, stated that there is no excuse to justify denying the diaspora their voting rights.
In an audio message shared with this medium today, Manneh said, “There is no excuse to justify denying the diaspora the right to vote. The government’s effort should go beyond saying they do not have the budget to register the diaspora so they can vote. If the argument is that the diaspora does not have a constituency in the constitution, they can create one, making it a total of 59 constituencies.”
He argued that the government could easily come up with a plan for diaspora voting, referencing neighboring countries. “Even our neighbors, Senegal and other countries, allow their citizens abroad to vote because they recognize their importance and contributions to national development,” he stated.
Tabora emphasized that if Senegal can implement diaspora voting, then The Gambia can do the same. “If the Gambian government is truly committed to ensuring the diaspora’s right to vote, they should definitely include them,” Manneh said.
He added that the reason the government has not allowed the diaspora to be included in the voter list is best known to them. He stated, “I don’t know whether they believe they do not have much support in the diaspora or if it is because the diaspora is independent and does not need anything from anyone to make an informed decision. The government wants people who will follow whatever they say, even when they are not doing things right.”
“I, Ebrima Tabora Manneh, and my party, the People’s Alliance Party, believe that the diaspora should be given the chance to vote during the country’s electoral cycle because we recognize their stance and contributions to national affairs,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his audio message, Tabora stated that the diaspora consists of Gambians who left the country to work and send remittances back home to support their families.
He stressed the important role of the diaspora, saying, “We all know the significance of the diaspora in the country’s development. Even the government has acknowledged their contribution. In 2024 alone, they contributed over 700 million dollars. This figure proves that the diaspora is even more important and beneficial than many institutions that support the country, and their contribution is one of the driving forces of national development.”
Manneh further stated that the diaspora’s contributions have helped mitigate hunger in the country and sustain many Gambian families. “Many Gambians today rely on the diaspora for support, both for their families and the nation at large,” he said.
“Given their contributions, the diaspora deserves the same rights as Gambians residing in the country. They should have representation, whether they live in The Gambia or abroad,” he added.
