Amie
Sillah, National Assembly candidate for the People’s Democratic Organisation
for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), has called for proportional
representation of women in parliament.
Mrs
Sillah, contesting for the National Assembly seat for Bundungka Kunda
constituency, made this call during a debate held recently at the TANGO
conference hall.
Also
a women’s rights activist, Sillah emphasised there should be a quota system and
proportional representation of women in parliament.
She
also called for electoral reforms, saying many women cannot contest elections
because of the patriarchal nature of Gambia society.
“I
am standing for Bundungka Kunda because I know they need my services. I have
been in Nyakoi School for 25 years for the children, and now I am very proud of
them and what they have achieved over the years. Others are thinking that I
want to do something, but I have done something over the years.”
“God
willing Bundungka Kunda is going to be an activist constituency. The people
will be mindful of repressive rule and impunity that is why the electorates
should give the job to its friend and not their friends,” she said.
The
PDOIS candidate said there is need to put in “good National Assembly members”,
because such parliamentarians can make good laws for the people they are
representing.
According
to Mrs Sillah, her organisation - Women for Democracy and Development – had
given the women that it is working with $200.
She
said the women have managed the money very well, and they have a million dalasi
from the $200.
“I
am very proud and when I get to the National Assembly, I am going to be
representing my constituency; I will be their mouthpiece, and I will eat and
play with them,” she said.
“I
am going to donate my salary to Bundungka Kunda constituency, and Nyakoi School
will be considered again. I am going to advocate for electoral reforms, and I
am interested in the two terms, and proportional representation and second
round of voting.
“This
is just additional, because the role of National Assembly members is to make
laws, scrutinize budgets and to pass bills.
So I will make sure that the laws and the government budget is
pro-women; and as an activist I want to make sure that women are well
represented, as well as youths, elderly women and the differently-able.”
Amie
Sillah is a trained public health officer, but according to her, activism gets
her into everything, including politics.
She
contested twice for the parliamentary seat of Banjul South in the 1st
republic. She lost all these times,
because “that time it was very difficult for women”. Since then, she has been in the forefront of
advocating for electoral reforms.
As
a family counselor and mentor, Sillah runs a column at Foroyaa newspaper where
she writes about gender-based violence in the family, and how to take care of
the family and relationships.
She
is an author and her first published book was entitled: ‘Silent Voices’.