#Headlines

Gov’t clears doubt over proposed dialogue process on Draft Constitution

Nov 19, 2020, 11:00 AM

“The Ministry of Justice wishes to clarify to the public that while it is in the process of initiating dialogue with leaders of political parties in The Gambia, political leaders are yet to be notified. 

During his speech before the 67th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, the Hon. Justice Minister, Dawda Jallow, announced that: “A process of dialogue with the leadership of all political parties has been initiated with a view to building consensus on all the contentious issues and re-submitting the 2020 Draft Constitution to The National Assembly.”

The message was meant to communicate that “a process” of dialogue with the leadership of political parties was about to begin and NOT to mean that the party leaders had already been contacted. 

There is enormous preparatory work going on which includes the identification of experts, eminent personalities, drawing the terms of references of the experts, drafting the guidelines and rules as well as identification of key talking points for the dialogue, logistical arrangements and resource mobilisation. The Gambia Government is pleased to announce that all these stated steps are near completion.  

Therefore, in due course, all bonafide political parties will be duly contacted by an Independent Mediator for the finalisation of these arrangements before the dialogue commences.”