Since last week, parliamentarians and NAMs have been engaged in a push and pull motion with adopting the new constitution.

The house is already divided with few NAMs againsting the principles of the drafted constitution especially the president’s term limit.

Gambians are optimistic that their representative will make the right decision by voting in for the Bill.

For the drafted constitution to under go a referendum which will unable citizens to give their final verdict before signed by the president, 75% of National Assembly members are required to vote in favor of it.

Consequently, there is a growing fear that the bill may fail when lawmakers vote at the end of their scrutiny.

The D116 million draft constitution according to the NAM for Janjangbureh, Honourable Momodou Ceesay, says a lot of resources and efforts have been made  in order to draft a new constitution.
“A lot is at stake because a lot of money, time and energy have been spent to produce the draft, therefore, if there is anyone who is to object to the draft constitution should be the people who were consulted.If this passes,the Gambian people that will win,if it fails by us, i think we will not in the good books of the people.“

With such a colossal amount of money spent in producing the Constitution, Gambians are afraid that the faith of the documents will rest in the trash bins just like CRC.

“we have spent D116 million to me that is nothing. This is life.”

The Member for Foni Jarrol, who plans to vote against the draft bill said.

“We cannot be fooled twice as a country, we have to be very careful. It is this 1997 constitution that has made you and I and the president what we are today because we were all sworn on and uptil now .It is that document that the government is functioning on.So, why the repeal?  we can go through it and make amendments.Saying we have spent D116 million to me that is nothing, this is life.”

The new constitution has been hailed by proponents of government and international bodies for its accountability and transparency in introducing new checks and balances on power.

However, a representative of Sabach Sanjal said, the draft constitution gave too much power to the national assembly, and that it did not promote separation of powers between the different  arms of government, which he alleged, could led to parliamentary dictatorship.

“Now looking at the draft, the parliament is engaged in the activities of the executive and the Judiciary. And there is no organ of parliament that has a hand in the parliament. What type of separation of powers is that? So, I really doubt if we go by this, we are bringing a dictatorship parliament. Therefore, in the strongest term condemn the national assembly participating in the affairs of the executive.”

Activists and youth groups are staging campaign on social media pinpointing the NAMs they are ambiguous about with regards to adopting the draft constitution.

The EU Delegation, the United States Embassy, the British High Commission and the German Embassy have urged members of the National Assembly to vote the draft Bill on the revised constitution to progress to the final stages of parliamentary scrutiny.

By: Sohna Tunkara