The Gambia draft constitution has been rejected by the National Assembly after 23 lawmakers voted against the promulgation bill today. About 31 lawmakers voting in favour of it.

The promulgation bill needed to secure at least 45 votes in order to pass through parliament before being put to people in a referendum.

“These are the results honourable members. The Ayes (yes) are 31, the Nays (no’s) are 23,” the House speaker Mariam Jack Denton told lawmakers after voting ended.

“Honourable members according to section 226 2d and 4d of the 1997 Constitution reads and I quote: sub-section 2 subject to section 4 a bill for an Act of the National Assembly under this section, that’s section 226 shall not be pass by the national assembly or presented to the president for assent unless 2d the bill id supported on the second and third readings by the votes not less than 3 quatres of all the National Assembly members,” speaker Denton added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba