The United Democratic Party (UDP) has voiced serious concerns over the Gambia government’s recent decision to deploy a mobile national ID card registration team to Mauritania, questioning both the legality and the motives behind the move.
The initiative, announced by the Gambia Immigration Department (GID), is officially aimed at “protecting Gambians abroad.” However, the UDP has publicly challenged that explanation, alleging that the exercise may be a veiled attempt to manipulate the voter register ahead of the 2026 elections.
In a strongly worded statement, the UDP criticized the government, led by President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) and the Kereng Kaffoo coalition, for what it described as a contradictory stance on diaspora engagement.
“For years, this administration has rejected the implementation of diaspora voting, citing logistical and financial limitations,” the statement read. “Yet, it is now able to fund a high-level delegation—including immigration officers, intelligence agents, and foreign ministry officials—to issue ID cards in a foreign country.”
Fears of Electoral Manipulation
The UDP alleges that the ID card campaign is part of a broader scheme to register non-Gambians from border regions—including Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritania—as Gambian citizens. According to the party, the issuance of national ID cards outside the country bypasses legal scrutiny and could pave the way for voter fraud similar to the use of attestations during the 2021 presidential election.
“Why Mauritania first?” the UDP questioned, noting that the country hosts a large Gambian migrant population, some of whom lack proper documentation. “This could be a test run before extending the scheme to other neighbouring countries.”
Legal and Institutional Concerns
Under Gambian law, national ID cards are generally issued within the country, while consular IDs, emergency travel documents, and birth certificates are provided to citizens abroad through embassies.
“The existence of legal consular mechanisms makes this operation highly questionable,” the UDP stated, arguing that national ID cards are directly tied to voter registration and should not be issued internationally without proper oversight.
Calls for Action and Transparency
The UDP has called on the National Assembly to summon the Minister of Interior and the Director of GID to answer key questions, including:
The legal authority for issuing national ID cards abroad;
The process used to verify Gambian citizenship in Mauritania;
The full cost and source of funding for the mission.
The party also urged civil society groups and the media to independently investigate the operation. Furthermore, it appealed to international organizations such as ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations to monitor the situation for signs of potential electoral malpractice.
Public Warning
Labeling the ID deployment as “a dangerous precedent,” the UDP warned Gambians to remain vigilant in the face of what it sees as efforts to undermine democratic processes.
“If President Barrow truly cared about Gambians abroad, he would have prioritized implementing diaspora voting, not launching a questionable ID campaign,” the party concluded.
Government officials have yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
