On 22 September, a landmark bill to replace the Gambia’s constitution was defeated in the National Assembly. The 2020 Constitution Promulgation Bill was expected to introduce significant changes such term limits, quotas for female participation and curtailments of executive power. Moreover, it would have marked a clear break with the two-decade dictatorship of former president Yahya Jammeh.

During his 21 year rule, Jammeh amended the constitution 50 times – such as to remove term limits and change the requirement for electoral victory from an absolute majority to a plurality – in order to consolidate his power. It was therefore a national priority when President Adama Barrow came to office in 2017 to replace what many referred to as “Jammeh’s constitution.”

This process began in June 2018 when the National Assembly established the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and Barrow appointed 11 commissioners to begin wide consultations. In March 2020, the CRC submitted its final draft. If all had gone as planned, the new constitution would have gone to a referendum in 2021. All signs suggest that it would have garnered overwhelming popular backing.

A 2018 Afrobarometer survey, for instance, found strong support for the draft constitution’s key provisions such as: limiting presidents to two five-year terms (87%); requiring the National Assembly to approval ministerial appointments (86%); mandating a quota system for women’s representation among lawmakers (85%); and requiring the victor to gain an absolute majority in the presidential election (72%). A survey by the International Republican Institute (IRI) conducted in late-2019 made similar findings. 87% of Gambians agreed the country needs a new constitution. 60% rated the CRC’s work positively. And 74% said they intended to vote.

However, this process ended abruptly this week when 23 members of the Gambia’s 56-member National Assembly rejected the bill in its totality. For it to pass, it would have needed the approval of 75% of members.

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