Vote-Counting Method Still Unresolved


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The Independent (Banjul)
August 24, 2001  
Posted to the web August 24, 2001  
PK Jarju & Lamin Dibba
Banjul, the Gambia  
The debate on the method of vote counting to adopt during the forthcoming presidential elections in October has still not been resolved, following a stalled attempt by the Independent Electoral Commission to narrow the differences between the APRC and the opposition parties.
According to the IEC Communication Officer Said Yusuf, the IEC convened an inter-party meeting last Tuesday to put across a possible compromise suggestion, which he said was also rejected by the representatives of the parties. He stated that although the meeting was well attended by all the three major political parties they could not agree on the proposal to count the votes at constituency level as opposed to counting them at the divisional headquarters as suggested by the APRC or at every polling station as suggested by the opposition. He said the proposal was meant to bridge the conflicting and opposing stance between both camps.



He added that as both sides stood firm on their previous decisions, the IEC would not open any door for dialogue on the matter but would instead go ahead with their own decision which would be influenced by the various opinions expressed by all the parties involved.
Mr. Yusuf further stated that although there was no constitutional provision for the IEC to consult the various political parties on which method of vote counting to implement they did so because they felt that the political parties should be part of the process as primary stakeholders in any decision on the electoral process.
When contacted to shed more light on the rationale behind their objection to the new IEC proposal, the APRC publicity secretary Tamsir Jallow stated that they still support their party leader's decision for centralized vote counting which he said is more feasible and with less security hitches.
He added that the APRC feels that the IEC had the legal jurisdiction to decide on which method of vote counting to implement in our electoral process and that the consultation of the various political parties was based on the spirit of how that has existed since Bishop Solomon Tilewa Johnson's time.
On his part the NRP campaign manager Mr. Dullo stated that they objected to the proposal made by the IEC because according to him most of the towns and villages located within the constituencies for vote counting are places where chiefs reside whom he described as government agents who "dance to the tune of the president".
He added that the NRP still endorses the proposals of the then IEC chairman for on-the-spot counting method. "Gabriel Roberts should not have changed that," he said. Asked what their position would be if the centralized method of vote counting were to be implemented Mr. Bah said that he cannot comment on that now since the NRP executive has not met.
On the contrary the UDP organizing secretary Lamin Waa Juwara argued that as polling stations and constituencies are within an electoral law, he accepts the new IEC proposal with reservations and that it is a compromise formula which he said is a form of decentralized vote counting, which is more transparent, cost-effective and less time consuming.
He added that as far as the UDP is concerned a solution has been found which would be acceptable to all Gambians and that the security excuse previously given by government could not cause an alteration to the new IEC proposal.

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