2021 Gambian presidential election
Presidential elections were held in the Gambia on 4 December 2021.[1] The result was a victory for incumbent President Adama Barrow of the National People's Party, who received 53% of the vote, defeating five other candidates.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Registered | 962,157 | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnout | 89.34% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Electoral system edit
The President of the Gambia is elected in a single round by first-past-the-post voting for a five-year term.[2] Registered voters receive a voter's card which must be presented at the assigned polling station. After verifying eligibility, a polling officer marks the voter's left forefinger with indelible ink.[3]
Instead of using paper ballots, elections in the Gambia are conducted using marbles. Each voter receives a marble and places it in a tube on top of a sealed drum that corresponds to that voter's favoured candidate. The drums for different candidates are painted in different colours corresponding to the party affiliation of the candidate, and a picture of the candidate is affixed to their corresponding drum. The drums are placed in the booth concealed from the officials to preserve ballot secrecy; the insertion of a marble rings a bell inside to signal that the vote has been cast.[4][3] As a precaution against COVID-19, for this election sanitizer was provided at the entrances and exits of the booth.[5]
During the tallying process, a candidate's drum is unsealed and its contents emptied in batches on hole boards with a capacity of 200 to 500 marbles each. Once the tellers agree on the number of marbles, the drum is refilled and retained for use in a recount, and the tellers pass to the next candidate's urn. This process, repeated in each polling station, is very fast; the results are generally known at the national level the day after the vote.[6]
The system has the advantages of low cost and simplicity, both for understanding how to vote and for counting the results. The method is reported to have an extremely low error rate for miscast ballots.[4]
Background edit
In the 2016 presidential elections, Adama Barrow defeated the incumbent Yahya Jammeh who had been in power for over 20 years. Jammeh acknowledged defeat but then subsequently refused to step down, resulting in a constitutional crisis. Barrow eventually took office under ECOWAS intervention, with Jammeh fleeing to Equatorial Guinea where he remains in exile. Barrow had been a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and ran in 2016 as the presidential candidate of Coalition 2016, a collection of opposition groups seeking to unseat Jammeh.[7]
In July 2018, the government began drafting a new constitution whose features would ensure a genuine separation of powers, limiting the presidency to a five-year term, renewable once, and introducing two-round voting instead of one.[8][9] They had already voted to remove the constitutional age limit of 65 for presidents and vice-presidents.[10] In accordance with the 1997 constitution, the draft constitution must first be approved by a qualified majority of three-quarters of parliamentarians before a possible referendum. The 58 members of the National Assembly, however, were divided on whether the new term limits were retroactive; Barrow could conceivably run for a third term if his first, begun under the previous constitution, was not taken into account.[11] These dissensions caused a rift between Barrow and UDP leader Ousainou Darboe, who was then Vice-President. In a cabinet reshuffle on 15 February 2019, Barrow replaced Darboe and all UDP ministers; ten months later, he founded his own party, the National People's Party (NPP).[12][7]
This rift between Barrow and the UDP drew attention to a previously-overlooked item in the Coalition 2016 manifesto. As the Coalition's immediate objective was to defeat Jammeh, its founding charter stipulated that Barrow would lead a provisional government, then withdraw to allow for an early presidential election where all opposition candidates except himself could have presented themselves under fully free and democratic conditions. An association of political parties and civil society organisations began large demonstrations in 2019 under the name "Three Years Jotna" (Jotna meaning "it is time" in Wolof) to insist that Barrow keep this promise. However, Barrow had now decided to serve out his term, and promised "serious consequences" to all those who supported the movement. 100 demonstrators were arrested, and the movement was officially banned.[13][14]
After these events, the NPP members in the Assembly joined the party of former president Jammeh in opposing the new constitution. The draft was rejected in a second reading on 22 September 2020, with only 31 MPs voting for — 23 MPs against and 4 abstaining — far from the required majority of 44 votes.[15][16]
Barrow received criticism from opposing parties and civil society for extending the stay of ECOMIG forces in Gambia as late as 2021.[17] A 2021 survey conducted by CepRass for Afrobarometer showed 78% support for ending the mission and letting the national Armed Forces and Police take charge.[18]
Candidates edit
Nominations were accepted between 30 October and 5 November.[19] From twenty-one nominees,[20] six candidates were approved to run by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC):[21][22]
| Name | Party | Position | Slogan[23] | Manifesto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adama Barrow | National People's Party (NPP) | Incumbent President (2017-present) | "Peace, Progress, and Unity" | [24] |
| Ousainou Darboe | United Democratic Party (UDP) | Former Vice President (2018-2019) | "Justice, Peace, and Progress" | [25] |
| Essa M. Faal | Independent | Chief Prosecutor of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (2018-present) | "One Gambia, One Nation, One People" | [26] |
| Mama Kandeh | Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) | MP in Pan-African Parliament | "One Gambia One people" | [27] |
| Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh | National Union Party (NUP) | Former Director General of The Gambia Civil Aviation Authority[28] | "Unity is strength" | [29] |
| Halifa Sallah | People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) | Special Advisor to the President on Governance (2017), National Assembly Minority Leader (2002-2007) | "Liberty, dignity, and prosperity" | [30] |
Opinion polls edit
For the first time, opinion polls were conducted prior to the election.[31]
| Pollster | Collection Dates | Sample size | Adama Barrow | Ousainou Darboe | Mama Kandeh | Halifa Sallah | Essa M. Faal | Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh | Other/ Secret | Undecided/ abstention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CepRass[32] | 9–19 November 2021 | 1,185 | 41 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 3 | <1 | 14 | 9 |
| Candidates approved on 7 November 2021 | ||||||||||
| CepRass[31] | 27 July–10 August 2021 | 969 | 29 | 13 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 10 | 40 |
Campaign edit
Campaigning in this election was more open than in 2016, with many posters and campaign slogans. Voters did not hesitate to openly show their support for candidates, which contrasted with the restrictive environment under the previous regime.[33] The economy was a concern for voters, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dominant tourism industry[34] as well as the falling exchange rate of the Gambian dalasi.[35]
For the first time, a debate was organised between presidential candidates. All six candidates were invited to participate on 20 November by the Committee for Political Debate, but only Halifa Sallah and Essa M. Faal attended.[36][37]
Barrow's NPP announced a coalition with the party of former president Yahya Jammeh, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Reconstruction (APRC).[38] Jammeh subsequently disavowed the alliance, saying it was done without his knowledge.[39] This led to a split in the APRC between those who support the deal and are aligning with Barrow, and a "No Alliance Movement" loyal to Jammeh, who has remained strongly critical of Barrow.[40] Jammeh then formally endorsed Kandeh, addressing his campaign rallies over the phone.[41] The winner of the election would carry out the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC); the commission submitted its report to Barrow on 25 November, but the report was not made public before the election.[42]
Gambia Participates, a nonpartisan NGO, offers a free mobile app called Marble for tracking live election results from the IEC. The app was first released for the 2018 local elections.[43] To promote voter engagement, staff members of the National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) toured the country and held public forums.[44]
Results edit
A total of 962,157 voters registered on the electoral lists, including 416,839 men and 545,318 women.[45] 1,554 polling stations throughout the country were open on 4 December from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; voters in line at 5:00 PM were allowed to cast their vote.[3]
President Barrow was declared the winner by the IEC on 5 December.[46]
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adama Barrow | National People's Party | 457,519 | 53.23 | |
| Ousainou Darboe | United Democratic Party | 238,253 | 27.72 | |
| Mama Kandeh | Gambia Democratic Congress | 105,902 | 12.32 | |
| Halifa Sallah | PDOIS | 32,435 | 3.77 | |
| Essa M. Faal | Independent | 17,206 | 2.00 | |
| Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh | National Union Party | 8,252 | 0.96 | |
| Total | 859,567 | 100.00 | ||
| Valid votes | 859,567 | 100.00 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 859,567 | 100.00 | ||
| Registered voters/turnout | 962,157 | 89.34 | ||
| Source: IEC | ||||
Reactions edit
Observers from the African Union stated that the electoral processes met international standards. European Union observers lauded the degree of transparency in voting and counting; however, they considered the candidate approval process to be somewhat opaque.[47] Leading the Commonwealth observer group, Olusegun Obasanjo praised the marble voting system and the orderly conduct of the elections.[48] Ernest Bai Koroma, head of the ECOWAS observer group, asked parties "to accept the outcome of the election in good faith."[49]
President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari congratulated Barrow on re-election.[50]
Aftermath edit
Partial results were first released on 4 December showing Barrow in the lead. Darboe, Kandeh, and Faal subsequently issued a statement expressing doubts about the results due to delays at the polling stations.[51] However, Sallah conceded.[52] After Barrow was officially declared the victor the following day, Faal congratulated Barrow.[47] Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh also congratulated Barrow.[53]
UDP members organised a protest in Banjul,[47] leading Darboe to call for peace among Gambian citizens.[54] On 14 December, the UDP formally appealed the election results to the Supreme Court, alleging that Barrow's campaign had engaged in vote buying and allowed foreigners to vote.[55] The court dismissed the appeal on 28 December on procedural grounds, as the UDP had not served Barrow within five days of filing.[56] Barrow was sworn in for a second term on 20 January.[57]
References edit
- ^ Saine, Pap; Jahateh, Lamin (23 September 2020). "Gambia Opposition Laments Failure of Bid to Curb Term Limits". Banjul: U.S. News & World Report. Reuters. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ "IFES ElectionGuide: Nov. 24, 2011 Republic of The Gambia Election for President". International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- ^ a b c Ceesay, Mustapha (2021-12-04). "Gambia Votes Today". Kerr Fatou Online Media House. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ a b "Gambia election: Voters use marbles to choose president". BBC News. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "The sound of democracy as Gambians go to the polls with a difference". The Commonwealth. 2021-12-04. from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Zidi, Paulina (2021-12-04). "Présidentielle en Gambie: fort engouement pour un vote dans le calme". RFI (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ a b "Gambia president launches own party after rift with ruling coalition". Africa News. 3 January 2020.
- ^ Tendeng, Frédéric (2020-09-23). "Comment une alliance Barrow-Jammeh a torpillé un projet de constitution en Gambie". BBC News Afrique (in French). Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ AfricaNews (2019-11-17). "Gambia close to getting first post-Jammeh constitution". Africanews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Presidential age-limit removed - The Point". thepoint.gm. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ AfricaNews (2019-11-15). "Gambie : projet de Constitution pour deux mandats présidentiels". Africanews (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Le vice-président de la Gambie limogé". BBC News Afrique (in French). Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Tension politique en Gambie : des manifestants réclament le départ du Président Adama Barrow". Afrik.com (in French). 2019-12-17. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Gambie : le gouvernement durcit le ton face à la contestation anti-présidentielle – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2020-01-26. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Le Parlement gambien rejette le projet de nouvelle Constitution". RFI (in French). 2020-09-23. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Gambie: l'Assemblée rejette le projet de nouvelle Constitution". www.africaradio.com (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Jobe, Yusupha (2021-02-01). "Barrow's ECOMIG decision generates condemnation". thepoint.gm. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Gambians Feel Less Safe But Want ECOMIG Out, Survey". The Chronicle Gambia. 2021-05-28. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Mendy, Sang (2021-12-05). "FACTSHEET: Did some private media platforms violate IEC regulations ahead of the presidential election?". FactCheck Gambia. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
- ^ Perfect, David (2021-11-30). "What's in store for Gambians as they gear up for hotly contested poll". The Conversation. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Six to stand for president in Gambia's first election after Jammeh". Reuters. 7 November 2021.
- ^ "2021 Presidential Election Nominated Candidates". Independent Electoral Commission. 7 November 2021.
- ^ Jawo, Kaddy (2021-12-02). "Gambia Decides 2021: Brief Profiles of Candidates Running for President". FactCheck Gambia. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Issues – THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S PARTY (NPP)". Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "5-Point Agenda - United Democratic Party". Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Essa Faal unveils blueprint - The Point". thepoint.gm. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Manifesto – Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC)". Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "NUP Has No Problem With NPP/APRC Alliance - Party Leader". Africa News. 14 September 2021.
- ^ "Our Manifesto". National Unity Party. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Manifesto - People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)". 2021-11-09. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ a b "CepRass has conducted the first opinion polls ahead of the December 2021 Election". CepRass. 2021-10-01. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Second Pre Election Opinion Poll Survey Findings". CepRass. 2021-11-27. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Ducrocq, Camille (2021-12-04). "Gambie : « Les élections n'ont jamais été aussi ouvertes »". Le Point (in French). Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ AfricaNews (2021-12-04). "Mixed reactions as Gambians vote in presidential election". Africanews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ AfricaNews (2021-12-02). "Gambia seeks way out of economic crunch [Business Africa]". Africanews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Manneh, Nelson (2021-11-22). "Halifa Sallah, Essa Faal Face off in Maiden Presidential Debate". Foroyaa Newspaper. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Mendy, Sang (2021-12-01). "ELECTION 2021: Fact-checking Gambia's first-ever Presidential Debate". FactCheck Gambia. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Joof, Modou (5 October 2021). "Gambian President and Ex-Dictator Form Coalition Ahead of Polls". Bloomberg.
- ^ "Gambia's president declares his bid for December election". Africa News. 5 November 2021.
- ^ "Gambia: Police Detain Top Official of Jammeh's Backed 'No Alliance Movement', Others". AllAfrica. 26 October 2021.
- ^ Saine, Pap Saine; Mcallister, Edward (2021-12-01). "Disgraced ex-president Jammeh looms over Gambia election". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ AfricaNews (2021-12-03). "Gambia: The wait for justice five years after Yahya Jammeh's fall". Africanews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Gambians keep their marbles as they head to the polls for crucial elections". RFI. 2021-12-03. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Bobb, Cherno Omar (26 October 2021). "NCCE on civic, voter education ahead of December Polls". The Point. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ "Independent Electoral Commission – IEC Gambia » Gender and Age Grouped By Region 2021". Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Gambia elections: Adama Barrow declared presidential election winner". BBC News. 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
- ^ a b c "Gambia Police Disperse Protesters Contesting President's Re-election". VOA. 2021-12-07. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Gambian presidential election "transparent" as marbles make democracy count, says Commonwealth observers". The Commonwealth. 2021-12-06. from the original on 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ AfricaNews (2021-12-07). "The Gambia opposition leader Ousainou Darboe calls for calm after election results". Africanews. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
- ^ "Buhari congratulates Gambian President, Barrow, on re-election". Punch Newspapers. 2021-12-07. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
- ^ Felix, Bate; Saine, Pap (2021-12-06). "Gambian President Barrow wins re-election; opposition cries foul". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Makasuba, Adama (2021-12-06). "Halifa Sallah concedes saying no evidence that election was rigged". Gambiana. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ "NUP leader congratulates Barrow, says 'Gambia has decided'". Gambiana. 2021-12-06. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ "Darboe urges citizens to maintain peace for the security of tourism season - The Point". thepoint.gm. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
- ^ "Gambia's opposition leader contests Barrow's re-election". Africanews. 2021-12-15. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ "Gambia's Supreme Court Dismisses Election Result Challenge". VOA. 28 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-01-25.
- ^ "Gambia's Barrow sworn in for second presidential term". Africanews. 2022-01-20. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2022-01-21.