Mayor Lowe condemns IEC’s Christmas-week nomination schedule

Mayor of Banjul and President of REFELA Africa, Rohey Malick Lowe, has sharply criticized the Independent Election Commission (IEC) over what she describes as a “profound oversight” in the scheduling of candidate registration for the upcoming municipal by-elections in the Brikama and Mansa Konko Municipal Districts.

In a statement issued on Sunday, November 30, 2025, Mayor Lowe denounced the IEC’s decision to hold candidate registration from December 25 to 27 — a period that coincides directly with Christmas celebrations and family obligations for many Gambians. She argued that the timetable “willfully ignores the reality” of Christian communities and disproportionately affects women, who traditionally shoulder the bulk of holiday and domestic responsibilities.

“This period is not merely a holiday; it is a time when women bear the immense, culturally vital responsibility of preparing for and uniting their families,” Lowe said. “To demand their presence at nomination centers during this time is to erect a significant, practical barrier to their participation.”

Calling the schedule “a campaign of exclusion,” the Mayor noted that local government is the level of governance most closely connected to community care — roles often attributed to women in Gambian society. Yet, she argued, the IEC’s chosen dates make the electoral process less accessible to them, contradicting national commitments to gender inclusion and political empowerment.

“If we are genuinely committed to women’s political empowerment, we must dismantle practical barriers, not reinforce them,” she added.

Lowe urged the IEC to immediately review and revise the electoral calendar, proposing that new dates should respect both the country’s religious diversity and the critical societal role of women. She emphasized that a truly democratic process must provide equal opportunity for all citizens to participate, not only those free from substantial family or cultural obligations.

“The IEC must demonstrate its commitment to an inclusive, fair, and participatory electoral process,” the statement concludes. “Our democracy must be built for all — not just for those who are not busy holding our families and communities together.”