Gambia's Constitutional Reform Fails: Mahoney Calls for National Reflection

By Michaella Faith Wright 

 

After yet another failed attempt to pass a new constitution in The Gambia, prominent advocate Annetta BV Mahoney has issued a passionate call for reflection, blaming political self-interest for the country's continued democratic setbacks.

 

Annetta BV Mahoney has voiced deep frustration over The Gambia's repeated failure to reform its constitution, calling the process a cycle of “party over people, power over progress.” Reflecting on the rejection of the 2024 draft, she criticized both the 5th and 6th legislatures for treating national reform as “a vehicle for political payback.”

 

Mahoney questioned the sincerity of parliamentary consultations, asking, “How can meaningful consultation occur when parliamentarians had already predetermined their positions?” She lamented the lack of diverse voices and failure to explain the contents of the draft, its contrast with the 2020 version, or its implications for the 1997 constitution.

 

She said, “The tragedy extends beyond party lines,” emphasizing that political loyalty and personal ambition have overshadowed national interest.

 

Mahoney also addressed civil society, acknowledging internal contradictions and a lack of unity that weakened their advocacy. Despite this, she urged continued commitment.

 

In a direct message to citizens, she warned, “When our judgment becomes clouded by party loyalty, tribal allegiances, or religious divisions... we will continue to fail ourselves.”
She concluded that unless Gambia adopts a “people first” mindset, the nation will remain trapped in disappointment and missed opportunities.