Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, the Gambia) – The 2024 Gambia’s draft constitution has been rejected at the National Assembly after failing to secure the required majority in its second reading, effectively halting the reform process and throwing the country’s constitutional future into fresh uncertainty.
The bill called The Gambia’s Constitution Promulgation Bill 2024, tabled by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Dawda A. Jallow, sought to repeal the 1997 Constitution and adopt a new one. However, it failed to secure the required votes to proceed to the Third Reading.
Pursuant to Section 226 of the 1997 Constitution, the Promulgation Bill required the support of three-quarters (44 votes) of all the National Assembly Members (58). However, the bill only gathered 35 Yes, and 21 Nays.
Despite intense lobbying from government officials and civil society groups, the draft did not receive the three-quarters support needed for it to advance to the next stage.
Several lawmakers, particularly from the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) and allied independents, voted against the draft, citing flaws in the process and the content of the document.
“This draft constitution cannot be accepted in its current form. It is not democratic and does not represent the will of the people,” said Hon. Sulayman Saho of the UDP, who has consistently criticized the process for lacking transparency and broad-based support.
The rejection came after weeks of tense debates, during which lawmakers questioned both the integrity of the drafting process and whether the document adequately reflected Gambian aspirations for a more inclusive, accountable governance system.
Proponents of the draft had argued it was necessary to break free from the authoritarian vestiges of the 1997 Constitution and to lay the foundation for stronger institutions and democratic norms.
However, critics maintained that the draft retained controversial provisions and failed to sufficiently limit presidential powers, among other concerns.
The rejection of the draft marks the second major collapse of constitutional reform efforts since the transition from Yahya Jammeh’s rule in 2017, dealing a heavy blow to hopes for a new national charter.
It remains unclear whether the government will attempt to revive the process in the near term or whether The Gambia will continue to operate under the current constitution indefinitely.
