Redaction ARPS Media with National Assembly (assembly.gm)
Establishment: The National Assembly is The Gambia’s unicameral legislature, founded under the 1997 Constitution. It comprises 58 members (53 elected and five presidential appointees) serving five-year terms.
Historical Background: Representative politics began in the 1840s with the Legislative Council. The first Gambian member, Edward Francis Small, joined in the 1880s, and the first elections occurred in 1947. The National Assembly was officially named in 1997.
Contemporary Developments: Universal suffrage for legislative elections was introduced in 1962. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) dominated until a military coup in 1994. A new constitution in 1996 led to elections in 1997, where the APRC party won the majority.
The Office of the Speaker was Established in 1954, with Sir John Mahoney as the first Speaker. The Speaker is nonpartisan, as outlined in the 1962 and 1997 Constitutions.
Female Representation: Lucretia Claire Jones became the first female appointed to Parliament in 1962, and Nyimasatta Sanneh Bojang was the first female elected in 1982. Female participation has been significant throughout parliamentary history since the mid-1800s.
Original Article at: History – National Assembly
