I am going to bed but here is a quick reply,
Mr. Ceesay, i fervently support on-spot counting provided that all the
counting will be done at the same time throughout the country or within the
same district. I also believe that it is far more better than centralized
counting.
Mr. Ceesay, i always challenge you to tell me any kind of rigging that can
be done/was done on election day without the knowledge of election
officials, party agents and electorates. Everybody is vigilant on this day.
No stupid person will dump votes from a UDP box to APRC box. I know it will
take 100s of hours of civic education to convince Gambians that this is
impossible under the current conduct of election procedures. The ballot
boxes are always with Polling Agents from various political parties up to
the counting center and the convoy includes the Presiding Officer, Asst.
Presiding Officer, Polling Clerk and a Police Officer. UDP had their Polling
Agents in all except one Polling Station in CRD and they all signed at the
Counting Center in the presence of their party's Counting Agents that the
boxes arrived safely. No discrepancy or malpractice was reported. The
incident that happen in Mansakonko would have several eye witnesses
including yourself to testify in case of any litigation by a political
party. I guess no one contested that result because it was a referendum.
The Mansakonko crisis during the referendum was absolutely wrong. They
should not kick you out of the counting room. But i wonder who verified and
certified the results because that should be your job and the assistant
Returning officers and i can't remember Fatima making any such report at our
review meeting in Kanifing. I have instructed Major Bojang to get out of the
counting center when he refused to comply with the presidential decree
governing the counting of votes. After a heated argument and a delay of
counting for about an hour, he agreed to take an oath and send all uniform
service men and NIA officials out of the room. Inside the counting room was
only PIEC OFFICIALS, COUNTING AGENTS and Major Bojang as a state witness. In
fact allowing him to witness the count in his military uniform was a serious
bond of contention but i finally yield after an appeal from ASP Baldeh who
happens to be the security head for Janjanbury Administrative Area during
presidential election. Everybody went out of the building on my instruction.
I know we were not very prepared during the referendum. There was also a lot
of intimidation from security officials and unfortunately the opponents of
the constitution were not strong to observe and protest every single
malpractices that happened. I had a lot of clashes with the then chief of
Foni Bintang and the Station Officer in Sibanor. like you, I was also
arrested and detained briefly at Sibanor police Station when i could not
agree with the Chief and the Station Officer on how to transport ballot
boxes to Brikama for counting.
MR. DAMPHA, I got your points. As i always say, i wish i have your
eloquence.... Anyway, I just don't think that confrontation will solve this
problem. If the oppositions can't get the on-spot counting, is it not a wise
idea to workout standard procedures that will ensure a true and fair
centralized counting? You see, one problem we have in Africa is that our
policy makers always fails to workout alternative plans. If "plan A" cannot
work, we should have "plan B" ready for implementation. This will avoid
conflict and war!
Finally, from my experience with the conduct of election in The Gambia, i
will advise the opposition to concentrate more on ensuring free and fair
campaign at this time. No more crapy campaign! Cheatings on election day
cannot happen behind close doors. Gambians have right to challenge any
election results in court.
Cheers
Lamin PF Manneh
>From: Ousman Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Counting on the Spot Is Just A Mere Dream - President Jammeh
>Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2001 13:53:32 EDT
>
>In a message dated 8/11/01 3:47:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> > Most irregularities happens
> > before election day itself. The oppositions should also work on the kind
>of
> > securities to put in place in order to avert any irregularities during
>the
> > transportation of ballot boxes. I bet a competent Returning Officer will
> > detect any vote rigging as soon as he/she started counting.
> >
> >
>Manneh
>What do you propose a competent returning officer to do at this stage in
>the
>process...that is in the midst of counting? Furthermore I humbly disagree
>with your assertion that most irregularities happen before election day. My
>own experience with the conduct of elections in the Gambia has ingrained me
>the fact that you can rig the results of an election on election day.
>
>If a government is hell bent on staying in power as yaya and his cohorts
>are..then my brother the security measures you are propounding becomes mute
>or ineffective. A case in point is when I was thrown out of the counting
>center during the referendum in Mansa Konko. After a hiatus of three hours
>I
>was allowed back to participate in the counting of the votes. And guess
>what
>my learned friend? I did found discrepancies that should make the
>referendum
>results in most lower river division null and void. The results despite all
>the discrepancies were certified. You can have all the counting agents and
>party agents if you want but the fact of the matter remains that there is a
>duration of time between the arrival of the ballot boxes at the counting
>centers and the beginning of the counting process. This is the period where
>illegal maneuverings take place or in my case this is when I believe the
>ballots were tampered with.
>
>Don't get me wrong manneh, but with the frequency that the seals used in
>sealing the ballot boxes broke during transportation, any unscrupulous
>person
>can scope tokens form one box to another while they await counting at the
>commissioners office. If the opposition relent on the spot counting..then
>they can kiss this coming election good-bye.
>
>Regards,
>ousman.
>
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