BANJUL, Gambia — The head of Gambia's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) announced that presidential elections will take place on November 24, in a statement received Thursday by AFP.
"Upon successful completion of the voter registration exercise, the presidential elections will be held on November 24 2011 to be followed by the national assembly elections in the first quarter of 2012 and the local government elections a year later, in the first quarter of 2013," Alhagy Mustafa Carayo said.
The timing of polling day came amid speculation about the inability of the IEC to organise the electoral consultations because of a lack of funding.
According to the IEC, voters registration will be conducted from May 5 through June 17.
The country?s electoral body also made it clear that all the voters' cards issued in 2001 and the subsequent supplementary registration of voters of 2004 and 2006 will be invalid for the elections.
President Yahya Jammeh who seized power in July 1994 in a bloodless coup has vowed not to engage his party into any electoral campaign as he is confident that he will be reelected.
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