NEWS
YANKUBA TOURAY OTHERS ON ALLEGED VOTE BUYING IN JARRA AND UPPER SALOUM-THE
ALLGAMBIAN INVESTIGATES
BY STAFF WRITER



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September 8, 2005
As election fever continues to grip Gambians, reports reaching the
ALLGAMBIAN says some APRC big wigs led by agriculture minister Yankuba
Touray had been engaged in alleged vote buying in opposition strongholds,
such as Jarra West and Upper Saloum constituencies.

Classified information received by this reporter says a number of voters
cards were bought in these two localities by the APRC errand officials, who
sources say told the villagers that such a move will prevent the opposition
from winning the elections.

According to sources the idea for the "secret" vote buying was designed to
give the Ruling government upper hands in the pending September by
elections. Sources said due to poverty and insecurity some villagers, had to
comply with the APRC delegation's request to surrender their voters cards.
"They toured villages at night, with a promise that they will compensate us
financially, if we hand over our voters cards. A good number of people have
already sold their voters cards to the delegation headed by Yankuba Touray."
said our source.

Local observers say such a move contravenes Gambia's electoral decree, which
was issue by the former military junta led by president Yahya Jammeh.
According to our sources, Gambians should not be surprised if there is "mass
voter absentee come election day", while citing the possibilities of the
APRC sweeping the polls in the said localities.

The alleged vote buying comes amidst reports uncovered by the opposition
that the Ruling APRC had transferred over 2,500 voters in Upper Saloum with
the sole aim of rigging the by elections scheduled for this month.

It would be recalled that the Jarra West by elections, which was won by
Kemeseng Jammeh was characterised by "massive voter absentee" last year. No
reason was given by the IEC for such voter apartheid. But many observers
concluded that the absentees were induced by the regime not to take part in
the polls. The APRC had repeatedly denied such charges.

The Gambia a former British colony, is said to be witnessing rule of law,
economic and political crisis. Since the toppling of the 30 year Jawara
administration eleven years ago, the current government had been linked to
all kinds of terror campaign against civil populace.

Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral Commission had not yet issued any
statement on the said alleged vote buying by the APRC government. However,
our sources say they have seen Yankuba Touray and other APRC officials
inducing voters in the area.

The leader of Opposition National Reconciliation Hamat Bah in a recent BBC
interview says his party was concerned by the voter transfers, which he said
was calculated to steal the elections. Bah also made mention about president
Jammeh's repeated bluff that he will evict them from the House. "The by
elections is between me and President Jammeh." Mr. Bah said

Sources say the opposition is faced by two challenges in this pending polls.
One, the latest report on vote buying and the voter transfer.



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