CONSTITUTION FOR THE MOVEMENT FOR THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY IN THE GAMBIA (UK)

 

 

 

PREAMBLE

The military coup of July 1994, which toppled the constitutional government of The Gambia, precipitated a governance crisis that is threatening the very survival of the polity. The government’s persistent violations of fundamental rights and its total disregard for the rule of law have reinforced this crisis at the heart of the nation. Faced with this threat, and mindful of the very serious social, political and economic ramifications that this situation presents, The Gambian community in The United Kingdom have resolved to organize into a coherent and unified movement, determined to arrest this slide.

The Movement shall be independent, free from partisan political, commercial and individual pressures.

 

 

 

1. NAME

The Organization shall be known as the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy in The Gambia, hereinafter called the Movement.

 

 

2. AIMS AND OBJECIVES

 

  1. INFORM AND UNIFY: To inform, mobilise and organise Gambian groups and other individuals in the United Kingdom into a coherent Movement, that will optimise and co-ordinate their efforts in the fight to restore legality and democratic government in The Gambia.

    2.  

  2. RALLY AND SUSTAIN: To rally and sustain The Gambian Community in The United Kingdom, in an endeavour to help transform the situation in The Gambia.

    3.  

  3. SENSITISATION: To sensitise the International Community, Human Rights Organisations, national governments and other institutions, as to the grave social and political conditions prevalent in The Gambia, and to solicit their assistance with a view to restoring constitutionality.

    4.  

  4. CO-ORDINATION: To harness and co-ordinate the efforts of other like minded Gambian groups and organisations in other European countries and the United States, in order to form a common platform from which to launch a concerted campaign for democratic restoration.

3. MEMBERSHIP

  1. Full membership shall be open to every Gambian citizen, irrespective of place of birth, but resident in the United Kingdom.

    2.  

  2. People of Gambian decent, who do not qualify for full membership on grounds of citizenship, shall be admitted as Associate Members. The Executive Committee shall have the discretion to afford full membership to Associate members. Associate members shall not be elected to the Executive committee, but can be elected to specialised committees, where their expertise may be required.

    3.  

  3. Affiliated membership shall be opened to other Gambian pro-democracy groups in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in the Diaspora. Other such groups, registered, as well as proscribed parties in The Gambia, shall be accorded affiliate membership, on fulfilling a set of criteria, to be determined by the Executive committee. Affiliate membership does not confer a block vote at General Body meetings.

    4.  

  4. Membership shall be open to all races, sexes, religions and tribes and subject to other membership requirements, there shall be no discrimination based either on political or ideological affiliation.

    5.  

  5. Liability of Executive Committee and General Body members shall be limited to their contributions to the Movement.

    6.  

  6. Members shall be excluded from the Movement upon gross violation of the letter of the Constitution and/or the spirit of the Movement. The dismissal process shall involve a report, recommendation by the Executive Committee and a simple majority vote of the General Body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. GOVERNANCE

 

  1. ORGANS: There shall be two (2) main organs; (i) The General Body and (ii) the Executive Committee, of the Movement.

    2.  

  2. The GENERAL BODY: The General Body shall be the supreme organ of the Movement, made up of all the members with primary responsibility for policies and activities. It shall have powers to delegate duties by electing an Executive Committee and to hear petitions from individual members.

    3.  

  3. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The Executive Committee shall be the Management Committee, with responsibility for general administration and implementation of the objectives and the General Body shall directly elect all of its members. It shall have responsibility for forming specialised Sub-/Ad-hoc Committees and to assign specific tasks.

 

5. MANAGEMENT ORGAN

 

  1. OFFICIALS: Officials shall be members of the Executive Committee, elected from members of the General Body. The Executive Committee shall comprise seven (7) members, at least two (2) of who shall be women. There shall be four (4) members with responsibility for specific duties in relation to the administration and operation of the Movement. The other three members shall be ordinary members of the Executive, but shall undertake special tasks as and when required, including deputising for other officials. They shall have priority in selections to specialised Committees.

    2.  

  2. CHAIRPERSON: The Chairperson shall head the Movement and the Executive Committee. He/She shall chair all Executive Committee meetings, produce and present reports including annual reports, co-ordinate the Movement’s activities and administration, directly or by delegation, ensure furtherance of the objectives and carry out an effective and efficient implementation of the Movement’s policies.

    3.  

  3. GENERAL SECRETARY: The General Secretary shall deputise for the Chairperson in her/his absence, be responsible, for internal and external correspondence, scheduling, notification and recording of meetings and other events, membership administration, the confidential maintenance of the Movements documentation and the co-ordination of Specialised Committees.

    4.  

  4. TREASURER: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection, handling and recording of all finances, the settlement of liabilities and general dispensation of monies. He/She shall be a signatory to the Movement’s bank accounts, keep comprehensive books of accounts based on standard accounting practices, co-orperate with Auditors and prepare/present quarterly reports and Annual/Final Accounts.

    5.  

  5. MOBILISER: The Mobiliser shall be the facilitator of the Movement. She/He shall liase with Affiliated groups and Associate Members, as well as the general membership of the Movement, device and organise functions and events and rally the entire membership of the Movement. Working closely with the General Secretary She/He shall help co-ordinate all of the Movement’s activities.

    6.  

  6. All Officials shall liase with one another in furtherance of the Movement’s objectives and policies and also in pursuance of individual tasks. Apart from the Chairperson, who shall be head of the Executive Committee and the Movement, there shall be a line-structure for all Officials with no hierarchical seniority, although the General Secretary shall always deputise for the Chairperson.

 

6. ELECTIONS
  1. Elections for the Executive Committee shall take place every year, and not later than fourteen (14) months after the last one. It shall be by secret ballot of all the eligible members of the General Body.

    2.  

  2. Subject to Section 3(a)(b), all members of the General Body shall have voting rights, as well as qualify for election to any office or Committee.

    3.  

  3. All elections shall be organised by an Ad-hoc Committee, appointed by the Executive Committee, two (2) months before the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Committee shall issue notices and other election materials to members, at least four (4) weeks before the scheduled elections.

    4.  

  4. Nomination Forms signed by both Nominator(s) and Nominee(s), shall be returned to the Chairperson of the Ad-hoc Committee ten (10) days before the ballot.

    5.  

  5. A simple majority shall carry the vote in elections and all other voting except otherwise stated herein.

 

7. MEETINGS
  1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held not later than fourteen (14) months after the last one, to discuss and vote on all policy, constitutional and membership matters. The General Body shall hold other quarterly meetings. The Executive Committee shall hold meetings at least once a month, to discuss and vote on strategy, operational and implementation matters.

    2.  

  2. Extra-ordinary General Meetings (EGM) shall be called by the Executive Committee or petitioned by a member or members upon the occurrence of a significant event. If EGM is through petition, at least one-fifth (20%) of the total membership of the Movement shall sign a Petition and present it to the General Secretary.

    3.  

  3. Notice shall be given for all meetings, which shall be recorded and the minutes made available to respective members.

    4.  

  4. For Executive Committee meetings, the quorum shall be four (4) members and for General Meetings twenty per cent (20%) of the total membership will be required.

 

8. FINANCE
  1. The Movement shall raise funds internally and externally, through every practical, moral and legal means. Members shall pay a monthly subscription of five- (5) pounds sterling and any subsequent changes, shall be determined by the General Body.

    2.  

  2. Fund raising activities such as requests for donations, sponsorships, private or public funding and Bar-trading, shall be conducted.

    3.  

  3. There shall be bank accounts for the Movement’s funds. All disbursements and other financial transactions shall require the signatures of three (3) of the following four (4) signatories; (i) The Chairperson, (ii) Treasurer and (iii) the two (2) non-official Executive Committee members, of which the Treasurer’s and any other two (2) signatures shall suffice for withdrawals and mandates.

    4.  

  4. All monies and negotiable instruments shall be deposited with the bank as soon as possible and all transactions made through the Movement’s bank accounts.

 

9. STANDING ORDERS, PETITIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
  1. The Executive Committee shall produce Standing Orders relating to the implementation of all aspects of the Movement’s objectives, as well as on procedural and other matters. These shall have binding effect.

    2.  

  2. Amendments to any part or provision of the Constitution shall require a one-quarter (1/4)-majority vote of the General Body at the AGM or an EGM.

    3.  

  3. Notices of Amendment, with explanatory notes have to be sent to members at least three (3) weeks before the meeting.

    4.  

  4. A group of ten (10) members can petition for Amendment, by submitting signed Notice forms, with the General Secretary. These shall be treated ordinarily, as required for the calling of an EGM.

 

 

10. CODE OF CONDUCT
  1. All members shall behave in an honourable and dignified manner regarding every aspect of the Movement. The privacy of members shall be respected and inter-personal grievances shall not interfere with the pursuit of the Movement’s objectives.

    2.  

  2. The Movement and its members shall uphold the Law of the Land, manifest civility, espouse and show good manners to fellow members and the larger community.

 

 

11. DISSOLUTION AND INTERPRETATION

  1. In the event of inability to carry out the activities and pursue the objectives of the Movement, resulting from whatever factor or factors, a motion of dissolution shall be tabled and voted upon by members of the General Body. A two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote shall suffice to dissolve the Movement.

    2.  

  2. Upon dissolution, there shall be a cooling-off period of four (4) months before the disposal of the Movements assets.

    3.  

  3. Upon a resolution to dissolve, the Executive Committee shall table proposals to a vote of the General Body, relating to the method or methods of disposal of assets, after discharging all liabilities.

    4.  

  4. Interpretation of the Constitution shall be in accordance with the Interpretation Act 1978 and any future amendments to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Draft of this Constitution was debated, ratified and adopted at a General meeting of the Movement, as the governing instrument of the Movement.

Meeting took place on 10th September 2000, At Athlone Hall, Athlone Street, London N.


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