In a move geared toward protecting the integrity of supplementary voter registration ahead of the 2026 elections, the Gambia Participates together with Election Watch Committee (EWC), a civil society organization, have said the confiscation of Nyangen Village Alkalo’s stamp is unjustified and a potential violation of the laws, calling Minister of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, Hamat NK. Bah, and Governor of Central River Region (CRR) to immediate return it.
”We demand that the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, through the CRR Governor’s office, return the Nyagen Alkalo stamp to prevent further disenfranchisement.”
The urgent call was made at GP’s headquarters in Kololi on Saturday morning, days after reports emerged that the Gambia government, through the CRR Governor, Ousman Bah, has siezed Nyangen Village Alkalo’s stamp over the allegations of misuse.
Speaking at the press conference, the executive director of the Gambia Participates, Marr Nyang, said the organization’s fact-finding mission has indicated that the confiscation of Nyangen Village Alkalo’s stamp was based on political affiliation.
”From our findings as domestic observers, and third-party accounts, we have reliable information that, the rimary reason why the Alkalo stamp was withdrawn was based on political affiliation to the opposition,” Nyang said. “Other than the fact the Alkalo may have entrusted the village stamp to his son, no other evidence or nformation of alleged abuse of or improper use of the stamp has been provided by the Ministry of Information or the Executive,” he added.
The Gambia government, however, has recently released a presser saying it has confiscated the stamp over allegations of misuse inconsistent with its intended purpose.
”It is worth noting that, it is the norm and custom for many Alkalolu and Seyfolu in The Gambia to entrust their Alkalo stamp to their most trusted offspring or relative due to many factors, which includes
but not limited to, age, literacy deficits in the official language, disability, etc,” Nyang clarified, noting that the seizure of the stamp will prevent many citizens of Nyagen from being registered on the voter roll, which is a violation of their right to vote as provided for in Section 39 of the 1997 Constitution.
The Nyangen Village incident has raised concerns among opposition political parties, some of whom have already called for the return of the village head’s stamp that was used to issue attestations for voter card registrations in the village.