Members of the Rawdatul Majaalis are calling fo r electoral reform at the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (GSIC) in order to give ownership to all Muslims in the Council. Cadi Abdoulie Kanteh, challenged the Council members not to conduct congress and elections without going through the right procedure of the election Act.
“If members of the GSIC conducted both the congress and elections without going through the proper channel, it means GSIC are doing things on their own just to make the Council “a Club of Friends,” Kanteh stated. According to Kanteh, for members of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council to delay the announcement of the congress and elections means they have a hidden agenda which they want pursue during elections.
Public Relations Officer, Rawdatul Majaalis, Abubakarr Jabbie called on GSIC executive to make public all those interested in executive positions to forward their names to the secretariat within a stipulated deadline. He suggested to GSIC executive members to issue ID card to all Muslims in the country so that Council would not be described as a Council that belongs to few individuals instead all Gambian Muslims.
PRO Jabbie said what Gambian Muslims need at Gambia Supreme Islamic Council is “System Change” instead of seeing the institution being monopolized by few individuals whose interest is to clinch unto power forever. “We are aware that plans are in pipeline for GSIC to organize both congress and elections next month and no announcement has been made to that effect by the Council.
According to PRO Jabbie; “The entire Gambia Supreme Islamic Council Executive should be declared vacant before they call for elections.” Rawdatul Majaalis Organizer, Lamin Marrie reminded that the first election conducted by the GSIC was in 1992 where all Imams and Majaalis sects in the country participated except some Arabic Scholars.