Disunity is no longer a political miscalculation—it is a national risk
Dear Editor,A nation does not collapse in a single moment—it weakens when wrongdoing is tolerated, explained away, or quietly ignored. As The Gambia approaches the 2026–2027 electoral cycle, we face a simple yet decisive question: will we protect the integrity of our democracy, or will we allow it to be negotiated in silence? Let us […]
Black News 
Dear Editor,
A nation does not collapse in a single moment—it weakens when wrongdoing is tolerated, explained away, or quietly ignored. As The Gambia approaches the 2026–2027 electoral cycle, we face a simple yet decisive question: will we protect the integrity of our democracy, or will we allow it to be negotiated in silence?
Let us be clear, without hesitation or excuse: any individual who uses a position of influence or authority to register minors, foreigners, or otherwise ineligible persons is not engaging in politics—they are committing a betrayal. Registering an ineligible voter is not a strategy; it is theft. Theft of a citizen’s voice. Theft of the nation’s future.
Imagine a young Gambian who wakes early, stands in line under the sun, only to find that the system meant to protect their voice has already been compromised. Imagine their vote diluted—not by chance, but by design. This is not a technical flaw; it is a deliberate injury to democracy.
No office, no title, and no affiliation should place anyone above accountability. If we excuse such acts today, we legitimise them tomorrow.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) now carries a burden heavier than procedure—it carries the trust of an entire nation. That trust must not be managed; it must be earned and fiercely protected. Fairness cannot be selective. Impartiality cannot be occasional. The IEC must expedite all lawful processes for citizens and groups seeking to register political parties, ensuring transparency, consistency, and equal treatment. Administrative delay must never become a political tool, and credibility—once lost—is not easily restored.
To the opposition, the message is urgent and unavoidable: this is not the time for fragmentation. Disunity is no longer a political miscalculation—it is a national risk. The differences that divide you today will be insignificant compared to the consequences of a weakened democratic process tomorrow. Coalition, alliance, unity—call it what you will, but build it. History will not remember individual ambitions; it will remember whether you rose together when the nation required it.
At the same time, we extend sincere respect to all those who continue to uphold democratic values—electoral officers, civil society actors, advocates, and ordinary citizens who refuse to be indifferent. Democracy survives not because of systems alone, but because of people who choose integrity when it is inconvenient.
To every Gambian: register. Show up. Vote. Participation is not a favour to the system—it is ownership of it. Silence is not neutrality; it is surrender.
We must also confront an uncomfortable but necessary truth. The vulnerabilities we are witnessing today did not emerge in isolation. They are deeply connected to outdated legal frameworks, gaps in enforcement, and weak border management practices. The National Assembly and the Immigration Department must accept a significant share of responsibility for failing to enact and enforce modern, responsive laws that protect the integrity of our electoral system. Reform must not be postponed—it must be pursued with urgency and sincerity.
This is not a season for denial. It is a season for correction.
A broken system does not begin at the ballot box—it begins when good people choose silence over principle. If we are to preserve the dignity of our democracy, then the responsibility is collective, the moment is now, and the standard must be uncompromising.
The Gambia deserves nothing less.
Abdoulie Bojang
Brikama
