By Fatou Sillah
Yaya Menteng Sanyang, the National Assembly member for Latrikunda Sabiji, has sharply criticized the Gambian parliament, describing it as weak and overly focused on partisan politics.
“What Gambians fail to see is we have a weak parliament, a parliament constantly operating under partisanship rather than governance. So that makes our parliament a very weak one,” Sanyang said in an interview on The Brunch, Kerr Fatou’s weekly public affairs program.
Sanyang argued that a strong parliament must pass laws that can withstand legal scrutiny. He expressed concern that if legislation passed by the National Assembly is frequently overturned in court, it reflects the institution’s weakness.
“I always tell them, when we sit here, make laws not in the best interest of Gambians, Gambians know their rights. They will go to the courts, and anytime citizens go to the court to get answers on the laws we make in the parliament, contrary to the spirit of the parliament, then we are a weak parliament,” he said.
He further emphasized that legislative strength is measured by the judiciary’s confidence in its laws.“Parliament can only be stronger so that any law you make in the parliament, citizens go to the court for answers, the court will rule in your favor But anytime we make laws, citizens go to the Supreme Court and get answers against what we made, we are a weak parliament. And that’s what Gambians fail to understand.” he said.
Sanyang also took aim at some of his colleagues, accusing them of lacking consistency and allowing political interests to dictate their positions.
“Also, we have few characters without principle and memory, today it is this, tomorrow it is this. But the umbrella term is partisan and governance, That’s a major problem,”
“Now, the issue is, going to the parliament, when somebody else helps you to think on a particular thing. you now go to the parliament and want to defend it.” he said.
Turning to the issue of diaspora voting, Sanyang maintained that it was not the parliament’s role to interfere with the administration of elections, a responsibility assigned to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). He suggested that a more efficient system, such as electronic voting, could facilitate diaspora participation without political interference.
Sanyang dismissed concerns raised by some lawmakers about diaspora voting, arguing that Gambians abroad should be able to register in their home constituencies regardless of their location.
He argued that it is a simple process that can be integrated into the existing voter registration system. He cautioned his colleagues that Parliament should not be speaking on behalf of the IEC; “It is not the business of the parliament to be speaking on behalf of the IEC. We have given IEC that function,” he said.
His remarks come amid ongoing debates about electoral reforms and the role of the National Assembly in shaping democratic governance in the Gambia.