By Ramatoulie Jawo
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Hon. Dawda A. Jallow, on Monday officially tabled the highly anticipated Draft Constitution of The Gambia Promulgation Bill 2024 before lawmakers in the National Assembly.
During the session, the Justice Minister presented the bill to the Clerk of the National Assembly, who subsequently read it aloud, marking its first reading in accordance with the Standing Orders of the National Assembly.
Originally slated for presentation on November 27, 2024, the bill’s introduction was rescheduled to this session. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a new constitution for the Republic of The Gambia, 2024, effectively repealing the Constitution of 1997.
Hon. Fabakary T. Jatta, Speaker of the National Assembly, clarified the next steps for the bill, stating that the second reading will be scheduled during the next ordinary session. At that stage, the person in charge of the bill will move a motion in accordance with Standing Order 662.
“Honourable members the bill has been read the first time the next stage of the constitution of the Gambia promulgation bill 2024 will be appointed during the next ordinary session for the person in charge of the bill to moves motion for the second reading in accordance with order 66 (2) which reads at the conclusion of the proceedings of the first reading or in any subsequent stage of a bill, the next stage maybe taken earlier the forthwith or upon a day to named provided that the second reading shall be taken no sooner than one working day after the first reading,” he told the members.
The call for a new constitution has been a longstanding demand by Gambians seeking to establish the Third Republic—a key promise made by the 2016 coalition government.
In 2020, however, hopes for a new constitution were dashed when the National Assembly rejected the Constitution Promulgation Bill 2020. That draft constitution failed to advance to the third reading stage, leaving the country still governed by the 1997 constitution.
With the tabling of the 2024 draft, many Gambians are eager to see if this version will succeed where its predecessor failed.