As a media establishment, Foroyaa has been conducting its own observation of what is happening with attestation as a major sticking point in the registration process. Under normal circumstances, political parties should have one aim. They should see to it that all those who are qualified to be registered should get their voters' cards without being subjected to any inducement or intimidation.

The law does not allow registration officers to question the validity of the documents presented to them for registration. While a person must pay D500 to acquire a national identity card one does not have to pay for attestation, thus making it an easier route to get a document to present to be registered as a voter. Some individuals have been stopped from interfering with the chain link that should exist between the claimant, the registering officer and the alkalo or chief in processing attestation without any interference by political parties or other interested individuals.

This development took place at Tallinding Basic Cycle School, leading police to intervention. In actual fact, the registering officer should be fully in charge of the registration centre and should instruct the police not to allow any stander by who is not assembled at the centre to claim to be registered or to monitor the exercise as approved by the IEC.

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This is the way forward. Foroyaa will continue to monitor this particular registration centre to find out whether the source of the conflict is addressed. If political parties cooperate, even one can monitor the process on behalf of the rest in each of the polling stations. In the future, even the Inter Party Committee could perform such monitoring functions. The objective is to have a registration process without any interference from stakeholders.