Kanifing Municipal Council Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda has raised concerns over the government's continued use of Alkalo attestation in the voter registration process, warning that the practice creates room for political interference and manipulation ahead of elections.
Speaking in an interview with Kerr Fatou, Mr. Bensouda argued that allowing local chiefs and Alikalolu to verify voter eligibility weakens the credibility of the registration process because those officials fall under the authority of the Ministry of Local Government.
According to him, the system gives the government too much influence over who gets registered to vote.
"The reason they refuse to stop Alkalo attestation is that it gives the government the flexibility to register whomever they want, however they want," Mr. Bensouda said.
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He further claimed that as long as the minister responsible for local government has the authority to remove an Alkalo, there will always be concerns that such powers could be used to influence voter registration.
"As long as the minister has the power to remove an Alkalo, that authority can be used to influence the process," he stated.
The KMC mayor pointed to what he described as a troubling incident in Nyagen, where an Alkalo's official stamp was allegedly taken and handed to another individual believed to be independent. He said the incident raises serious questions about the integrity and transparency of the verification process.
Mr. Bensouda stressed that voter registration remains the most sensitive and important stage of any election, arguing that irregularities during registration can affect the credibility of the entire electoral outcome.
"That is where the cheating happens," he said. "Voter registration is the most important part of the election; the rest are largely a formality."
He also criticised what he described as the ruling party's strong focus on voter registration activities instead of concentrating on policies and convincing voters through ideas and programmes.
According to him, when political actors place more attention on controlling registration than engaging citizens on national issues, it risks undermining fair democratic competition.
Despite his concerns, the KMC mayor encouraged young people across the country to actively participate in the ongoing voter registration exercise and to make their voices count in the next presidential election.
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"We are seeing many young people registering, and I hope they understand its importance," he said.
"I urge all youths to register and vote. It is your voice, and it is what you have."
Mr. Bensouda's remarks come amid growing public discussions surrounding voter registration and electoral transparency ahead of the country's next presidential election.
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