Renegade party politicians, Lower Baddibou’s Alhajie Jawara and Brikama Area Council’s Sheriffo Sonko being prototypes, still revel at the omission of Section 19(g) of Gambia’s Local Government Act. But Sonko’s glee will endure if there is a retroactive application of the law. We spoke to UDP’s Spokesperson, Almamy Fanding Taal and the party’s Serrekunda West legislator Madi Ceesay on Saturday, July 18^th 2020.

The omitted section tied both Sonko and Jawara to the backing of their party [UDP] that brought them to office through the ballot box. The new legislation guarantees total independence to politicians who part ways with their parties of sponsorhip.

Honorable Madi Ceesay believes there is no question of applying the benefits of a new law to an old case that has been dragging. Taal blames the Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission for the situation we are in now.

Ceesay also holds that there should not be any doubt about holding fresh elections in Brikama in the wake of the Sheriffo Sonko brouhaha. But the country’s election referee (IEC) has not shown much keenness as far as the Brikama Area Council chairmanship is concerned.

“The law is for today and tomorrow and not for yesterday. There’s no struggle about that. There’s no point talking about that. It can’t go back. It never goes back. There’s no doubt about that [holding local gov’t election in Brikama],” Hon. Madi Ceesay mentioned.

According to Almamy Taal, “this situation has been brought on by the inaction of the IEC. This process, since its beginning, the IEC has been dragging its feet in the administrative work it needs to do. As a result, we have put in a motion, processes to compel the IEC to do its job.”

“Obviously for us, it’s important how ever you look at it—that natural justice as well as administrative justice or constitutional law of The Gambia is very clear about the retrospective application of any law and we’re not in any way concerned whatsoever as to what the final outcome would be.”

“Yes, the law has been changed since yesterday [July 17^th 2020] but obviously there are processes that have to be completed for it to be gazetted and for it to become part and parcel of the body of the laws of the country.”

“So, in a nutshell, yes, we don’t expect the jurisprudence of the country to change over one case or one individual. And we’re going to continue to hold the institutions of governance accountable and make sure that the laws of The Gambia, as they are, are  applied,” Taal concluded.