By Amadou Jadama on tour
Veteran opposition leader Ousainu Darboe of the UDP has described the December 2026 presidential election as a rescue operation for the Gambian state.
“It is an election for us to rescue the Gambia and I am happy to state that it has already started in the West Coast region and it will continue throughout country,” he told supporters as he arrived in Mandinaba in Kombo East as part of his nationwide tour .
Darboe lamented the sorry state of the youths who continue to leave the country through the sea out of frustration and hopelessness.
“It is too sad even to think of women with babies jumping into boats to run away from their home and literally enter dangerous waters in the dream of a better life in Europe only to perish in the sea. The responsibility belongs to all of us to end this by electing a responsible government, such as the UDP is offering, “he said.
Darboe said he is hopeful that West Coast region would lead such a positive drive to rescue the nation next year.
”West Coast region has been the political and economic power house of this country for a very long time and its place in the life of the country is very crucial. With a proper government and diligent management, the resources the people of West Coast have in the coastal areas alone, can feed this country. I therefore urge you at your individual level to preserve these resources such as land,” he told his audience drawn from all over the region.
He went on: ”We have seen how Serekunda and Banjul suffered from lack of proper planning. This means that with proper planning, Kombo East is a potential candidate for a new capital city of the Gambia. So please preserve your land”, Darboe advised his audience.
The veteran lawyer highlighted the contradictions of government action that led to the demolition of homes in parts of West Coast region, arguing that same government that is demolishing the homes is the same government that issued the permits for such homes .”If you want all these bad policies corrected, then vote for the UDP next year,” he concluded.
