By: Kebba Ansu
Honorable Alagie S. Darboe, National Assembly Member for Brikama North Constituency has re-echoed calls to Senegalese and Guinean citizens residing in country to back-off from Gambian politics.
Honorable Darboe made this clarion call on Sunday at a mass political rally hosted by militants of the United Democratic Party (UDP) at Brikama Mesira, where he also called on Alkalo, Chiefs, local and state authorities to desist from assisting foreigner to acquire voter’s cards.
“Anyone who is a Gambian please go out and get your voter’s cards, I’m not saying Mandinkas, Fulas, Jolas, Wollofs, Manjakos or Papels, but those who are Gambians to go and get Gambian documents. For those who are not Gambians please stay at your house, stay at your house, go and do your business at the market, go to the quarry and do your job, please leave the documents of the Gambians” alone.
Honourable Darboe reiterated that “We are not expecting Gambians to support non-Gambians to get Gambian documents.
“Those Alkalos we are calling on not to issue Gambian documents to foreigners remember that your children are here and they are the ones to succeed your positions but if you give documents to non-Gambians, they will becomes Alkalos, Chiefs, Governors or even President in this country and you cannot do anything to the effect.”
According to him, the population of The Gambia is just two million people while Senegal and Guinea are in their millions, adding that if Senegalese and Guineans are given Gambian documents they will outnumbered Gambian population and become Presidents and holders of public offices in the country.
“The Gambia has only two million people but how many millions of people are in Senegal and Guinea, you are giving them our documents. They will outnumbered us here in our own country then it will be left to them to give us a Guinean national as a President or give us a Senegalese as a Gambian president within ten years,”
Alagie S. Darboe who is also the Senior Administrative Secretary of UDP added: “Ten years is even too much for them to give us a Guinean or Senegalese president.
“We are telling you don’t give our documents to foreigners, you said you are helping Adama Barrow, who is just on his way out and if we remove him from power those foreigners who are in possession of our documents will find their way out.”
According him, the position taken by UDP is not to compromise with the issue of Gambian documents, adding that any foreigners who acquire Gambian voter’s card will be prosecuted at a revising court that will be setup just after the registration exercise.
“We have no problem with encouraging Gambians to get their voter’s cards but we will not seat aside and watch people helping foreigners getting our voter’s card just on the pretext of helping President Barrow to win the election. These types of actions that used to happen during the former regime will not condone in this country anymore,” he concluded.
