The Local Government Elections are due to take place in two months across the Gambia. It will give the qualified Gambian citizens the opportunity to elect ward councillors, area council chairpersons and mayors for Banjul City and Kanifing Municipal Councils. The elections will complete the 2021-2023 electoral cycle which already witnessed the presidential in December 2021 and April National Assembly 2022.

According to section 192 (1) of the 1997 Constitution, the local government administration in The Gambia “shall be based on a system of democratically elected councils with a high degree of local autonomy.”

This factsheet provides citizens with some pertinent information regarding election days, the nomination process, qualifications to contest for ward councillors, chairpersons, and mayors, how to object to candidates’ contests, etc.

 Ward councillor election

According to the IEC, 124 positions will be voted for on April 15^th across all eight local government administrative areas. All the contestants must first be cleared up by the IEC.

 Mayoral/Chairpersons positions up for grab

 The IEC has scheduled this election for May 20^th. The candidates for mayors and chairpersons are seeking election to fill the following 8 local government administrative areas as the heads of the councils as per the Local Government Act: 

·         Banjul City Council (Mayor)

·         Kanifing Municipal Council (Mayor)

·         Brikama Area Council

·         Mansakonko Area Council

·         Kerewan Area Council

·         Janjanbureh Area Council

·         Kuntaur Area Council and

·         Basse Area Council (all headed by chairpersons). 

IEC explained that the two different days are selected for different elections because it is more convenient and a more transparent process based on the precedent of the 2018 Local Government Elections. 

Who is qualified to contest as a counsellor? 

While it is a constitutional right for any citizen of the Gambia to contest the election to seek the position of ward councillor, there are requirements that each person must fulfil as outlined in the Local Government Act. Some of them are as follows: 

·         is a citizen of The Gambia and is not less than 21 years of age;

·         is a registered voter;

·         is ordinarily resident in the Local Government Area in which he or she seeks election;

·         is able to speak the English language with a degree of proficiency sufficient to enable him or her to take part in the proceedings of the Council.

·         Has made a declaration of his or her assets required by section 4(7) of the Election Decree 1996, as amended; and

·         Has paid all his or her taxes and rates or made arrangements satisfactory to the appropriate authority for the payment of his or her taxes and rates and has been issued with a certificate to that effect by the Commission of Income Tax or the appropriate rating authority as required by section 42(7) of the Elections Decree, 1996, as amended. 

Who cannot contest as a councillor 

Some of them are as follows: 

·         is of unsound mind;

·         has been sentenced to death or imprisonment for an offence involving fraud, dishonesty or violence or has been convicted of an offence relating to or connected with elections under any enactment in force in The Gambia at the time;

·         being a professional person, he or she is disqualified from practising his profession on grounds of malpractice, fraud or dishonesty by the competent professional body;

·         is a person exempted from payment of rates under any enactment;

·         is a member of a disciplined force;

·         And is a member of the National Assembly. 

Qualification for chairpersons 

According to section 14 (1) of the Local Government Act, a person qualifies to be elected Chairperson if he or she Chairperson holds the qualifications prescribed for Council members under subsection (1) of section 17 which is: 

·         being a citizen of The Gambia

·         Be a registered voter  

·         Must at least be a secondary school graduate

·         Must not be less than 30 years old.

·         A deposit of D2,500, as well as 150 signatures from registered voters

·         However, unlike councillors, he or she is not disqualified under subsection (3) of that section which requires the person to be a resident of the region. 

Mayors/mayoress 

The Local Government Act considers mayors (for males) and mayoress (for females) to be the chairpersons of the Banjul City Council and the Kanifing Municipal Council. Hence they carry the same qualifications as captured above for chairpersons. 

Who is not qualified to contest chairperson and mayoral/mayoress positions 

·         Is of unsound mind

·         Has been sentenced to death or imprisonment for an offence involving fraud dishonesty or violence or has been convicted of a crime relating to elections

·         Is a member of the national assembly

·         Is a member of the Independent Electoral Commission

When will aspirants file nominations? 

The IEC schedule released earlier this month indicates that the nomination for councillors will begin from March 14^th to March 27^th 2023 between 8 am and 4 pm. 

The nomination of aspirants for the chairpersons and mayoral/mayoress seats has been scheduled for the 27th of April and the 3rd of May, 2023. 

Aspirants will submit their nomination papers to their respective regional IEC offices across the country. 

Issuing of nomination forms 

·         Aspirants are urged to collect nomination forms from their respective IEC regional offices

·         The forms are acquired at no cost

·         Forms can be picked up on the 15^th of February 2023

·         Particulars of the collectors to be taken are ‘names, addresses, party reps, telephone numbers & signatures.’ 

Process of objection on the nomination of candidates 

• Nomination papers received by the IEC will be displayed on tables for public viewing

·         Public viewing will be done each day after the nomination papers have been filed

·        It will be done between 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

• Viewers must produce their voter cards before they can enter to scrutinise any candidates’ details
• No copying/ photo taking, video or audio recording of any documents displayed.

·         Nomination papers shown would be monitored 

Reconciliation of campaign itineraries   

Based on the information acquired from the IEC, all campaign itineraries of candidates will be reconciled between the 28^th and 30 2023. This will ensure clear timeframes are given to each candidate to avoid possible collisions of supporters of different parties and candidates. 

The campaign period for councilors 

The IEC has allocated a 2-week campaign period for aspirants contesting the councillorship election beginning 31^st March to 13^th April 2023. 

Withdrawal of candidature 

The electoral commission has scheduled the last day of withdrawal of candidature of the councillors to 8^th April 2023. 

Replacement of voting cards 

Voters who have lost or spoiled their voting cards can replace them between the 31^st of March and the 7^th of April 2023. It is the last opportunity for them to be able to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming two elections.