Gambia registers 1st female presidential candidate

BANJUL, Gambia

The Gambia has registered its first female presidential candidate for elections slated for Dec. 4.

Marie Sock appeared at the Election House in the company of two others, hoping to become the country’s first female president.

The nominations started Saturday with the submission of papers by Joseph Henry Joof, a one-time justice minister under former President Yahya Jammeh.

“I'll win this election. I'm very optimistic. The Gambia needs a new breed of politicians,” Joof told journalists after submitting his nomination at the Election House.

He will be an independent candidate if his nomination is approved by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

He passed a bill in 2000 allegedly to indemnify soldiers who shot student protesters in April of that year.

Hundreds of students took to the street demanding justice for the death of Ebrima Barry, who was in the custody of Fire and Rescue Services. They also wanted an arrest for a rape case involving a member of paramilitary forces.

None of the cases were investigated, causing rage among the students, while 14 of them were killed and dozens wounded.

Joof, who arrived at the Election House, appeared before Gambia’s Truth Commission investigating Jammeh’s human rights violations. He denied any wrongdoing.

The third nominated candidate was Alagie Mamadi Kurang, an educator who established Jollof Tutors, an information technology training college.

The last candidate expected to be nominated was Mathew Gomez, who withdrew without citing reasons.

The electoral body is expected to receive 26 nominations, 13 from independent candidates.

IEC chief electoral officer Samboujang Njie told Anadolu Agency that candidates are allowed to make submissions before the nominations close on Nov. 5.

On Nov. 6, all candidates and their details will be published for public scrutiny, allowing the IEC to publish the final list in the evening.