A report from the Institute of Security Studies says Ecowas should ask the United Nations and African Union to help Gambia make a new set of rules for the country.
"Ecowas, the African Union, and the UN helped start making Gambia stable in 2017. They need to help Gambia create a new constitution. This is very important for changes in security and courts that will keep the country stable," the report said yesterday.
Eight years ago, Ecowas helped end the rule of a person who acted like a king in Gambia. This started Gambia's path to letting people vote for their leaders.
The report says Ecowas still needs to help keep Gambia stable. Changing the old 1997 constitution matters a lot. It will allow big changes in how Gambia runs its government. These changes will also help fix the army and give justice to people who were hurt by the old ruler Jammeh.
People can speak more freely under President Barrow, but making a new constitution has been hard. The new rules don't say if or when President Barrow must stop being president after a certain time.
Different groups disagree about what should be in the new rules. The lawmakers rejected a draft in 2020. Nothing happened for five years. The government showed a new version in August 2024. Many people don't like it.
Some call it the 'Barrow Constitution.' It doesn't say if the rule about how long a president can serve applies to Barrow. The new draft gives the president more power. It removes parts that required the president to ask lawmakers before picking ministers. The president can still pick five lawmakers.
People who talk about Gambia's politics told the Institute they think the latest draft would let Barrow run for president two more times. "He will have been president twice by 2026 when the next big election happens."
The report says the draft was read in the National Assembly on December 23, 2024. It will be given a second reading next month, but many people might vote against it.
The main group that doesn't like the president has promised to vote no. "These strong feelings mean Ecowas needs to step in again. As a big helper in making Gambia stable, Ecowas could start talking with all sides again. Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan could lead this."
The Institute also says Gambia has not made much progress in giving justice to people hurt by the old government. "The Truth Commission wants to put bad people on trial and give money to victims."
"A few people have been found guilty in Gambian courts. This includes former minister Yankuba Touray for killing another minister named Ousman Koro Ceesay. But Gambian laws don't allow for trials of big international crimes. Outside help could fix this problem."
"Ecowas, the African Union, and the UN helped start making Gambia stable in 2017. They need to help Gambia create a new constitution. This is very important for changes in security and courts that will keep the country stable," the report said yesterday.
Eight years ago, Ecowas helped end the rule of a person who acted like a king in Gambia. This started Gambia's path to letting people vote for their leaders.
The report says Ecowas still needs to help keep Gambia stable. Changing the old 1997 constitution matters a lot. It will allow big changes in how Gambia runs its government. These changes will also help fix the army and give justice to people who were hurt by the old ruler Jammeh.
People can speak more freely under President Barrow, but making a new constitution has been hard. The new rules don't say if or when President Barrow must stop being president after a certain time.
Different groups disagree about what should be in the new rules. The lawmakers rejected a draft in 2020. Nothing happened for five years. The government showed a new version in August 2024. Many people don't like it.
Some call it the 'Barrow Constitution.' It doesn't say if the rule about how long a president can serve applies to Barrow. The new draft gives the president more power. It removes parts that required the president to ask lawmakers before picking ministers. The president can still pick five lawmakers.
People who talk about Gambia's politics told the Institute they think the latest draft would let Barrow run for president two more times. "He will have been president twice by 2026 when the next big election happens."
The report says the draft was read in the National Assembly on December 23, 2024. It will be given a second reading next month, but many people might vote against it.
The main group that doesn't like the president has promised to vote no. "These strong feelings mean Ecowas needs to step in again. As a big helper in making Gambia stable, Ecowas could start talking with all sides again. Former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan could lead this."
The Institute also says Gambia has not made much progress in giving justice to people hurt by the old government. "The Truth Commission wants to put bad people on trial and give money to victims."
"A few people have been found guilty in Gambian courts. This includes former minister Yankuba Touray for killing another minister named Ousman Koro Ceesay. But Gambian laws don't allow for trials of big international crimes. Outside help could fix this problem."
