The Gambia’s political parties have agreed in principle that the nomination of the speaker and its deputy should be done by the National Assembly members and not the president.

They reached the consensus on Saturday during the Constitutional Review Commission continued dialogue with the political parties at the National Nutrition Agency Headquarters at Bertil Harding Highway.

Speaking at the gathering, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, leader of United Democratic Party (UDP), said the speaker should be nominated and that “majority should be from political parties.”

He said for the five nominated members at the lawmaking house should be maintained without the involvement of the president, adding Gambians living abroad should vote and be voted for but that they should come and reside in the country ahead of elections.

Dr. Sabally supports the 53 members of the National Assembly to remain but said “the president shouldn’t nominate the speaker and its deputy.”

He said election of the speaker and the deputy should be done by the parliamentarians in order to avoid “power corruption.”

However, Sabally added that if a lawmaker cross carpets from his or her respective party should lose his or her seat in the lawmaking house, adding that “punishment of lawmakers found committing contempt of the house should be base on the agreement of the entire members and not only the speaker.”

Amie Sillah, a representative of PDOIS, also supported that the speaker and its deputy shouldn’t be nominated by the president.

Meanwhile, she said “Gambians living abroad shouldn’t be disfranchised of their rights” adding they should vote and be voted for as Gambians.

And a representative from PPP, Duta Kamaso, said “we should do away with nominated members in the house because they are not serving the interest of the public.”

According to her, she wants to see 40% women participation in the next constitution, adding women constitute 60% of the population yet they are the most marginalize sector in the country.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba