By Ousman A. Marong
Yakumba Jaiteh, a former nominated member of the National Assembly, who also serves as the Deputy Senior Administrative Secretary for the United Democratic Party (UDP), has made some serious allegations that certain Alkalos (village heads) have been issuing attestations to non-Gambians, allowing them to register as voters.
Jaiteh pointed out the case of the Alkalo of Latrikunda German, who is said to have issued over 13,000 attestations. He emphasised the need for clarity regarding the total number of attestations issued and the context in which they were granted.
Her main concern isn’t just the sheer number of attestations during the supplementary voter registration but whether those receiving them are actually eligible to register as Gambian voters.
“The reality is that some Alkalos are giving attestations to non-Gambians for voter registration, and this has been confirmed by the revising courts in certain instances,” Jaiteh stated.
She raised doubts about how the Alkalo of Latrikunda German could possibly verify the origins of so many individuals claiming to be born in the area. She also alleged that some applicants received attestations without having to provide any supporting documents.
“Someone could just show up, mention a name, and claim to be from a specific part of Latrikunda, and an attestation would be handed over,” She claimed.
Jaiteh mentioned that she has been involved in several cases before revising courts where, according to her, it was established that some individuals who received attestations were not actually Gambian citizens.
Jaiteh Points to Ongoing Court Case
To back up his claims, Jaiteh referenced the ongoing case of Musa Sidibeh vs. Tijan Bojang at the Yarambamba revising court, where she acted as a lawyer challenging a voter registration.
Jaiteh noted that Sidibeh admitted in court to obtaining a Gambian national identity card after registering with an attestation form.
Jaiteh claimed that Sidibeh, whom he identified as a Malian national who had lived in The Gambia for some time, initially insisted he was Gambian.
“He even told the court that he had voted in the 2016 presidential election but skipped the 2021 election because he was unwell,” Jaiteh explained.
She mentioned that through his investigations and questioning, Sidibeh eventually confessed that he wasn’t actually a Gambian citizen but had been residing in the country for a while.
“After I pressed him with questions about his origins and where he was born, he admitted to the court that he wasn’t Gambian and pleaded for the court’s forgiveness,” Jaiteh alleged.
Jaiteh noted that the court then ordered Sidibeh’s name to be removed from the voter register.
These allegations bring up important questions about how voter eligibility is verified and the role of attestations in the registration process. However, the claims regarding the Latrikunda German Alkalo and the specifics of the mentioned court proceedings should be evaluated against the appropriate court records and the responses from the individuals involved.