By Amadou Jadama
UDP leader Ousainu Darboe has cautioned President Adama Barrow to refrain from tribal politics and “give maximum respect to tribes and Gambian elders”.
Addressing hundreds of supporters at a meeting in Jarra Soma on Monday, Mr Darboe said contrary to President Barrow’s insinuation that he lost at all the polling stations in the region with sizeable Mandinka voter population because of misguided identity politics, he lost because he did not fulfil his campaign promises.
“If you want to get their votes, you must fulfil your promises. If you do so, they will vote for you. I am advising myself, and all other politicians, let us not engage in maligning other tribes. The comments by President Adama Barrow were only made to malign the Mandinka tribe…” he said.
He added: “How can you sit with those elders and try to belittle them? You had the audacity to say so because you are the president. Had it not been that you are the president you would not have been brave enough to say such things in front of those elders. Please respect Gambian elders, whether they are Jolas, Mandinkas, Wolofs, Fulas or Serahulés..”
Turning to other matters, Mr Darboe said constructing roads is not the current priority of Gambians. He said President Barrow has no right to brag about constructing roads like Senegal’s Abdoulaye Wade and Macky Sall.
“Macky Sall built bridges and roads in Senegal and completed the port started by Wade. But with all that the priority of the people was the economy and the standard and cost of living. The roads never moved the people of Senegal. If roads infrastructure are the priority needs of the people, then Joe Biden would not have lost the election in US and neither Abdoulaye Wade in Senegal nor Botswana’s president,” he said,
He said Gambians should disregard President Barrow and his NPP’s “deceitful politics of these low class roads”. He cited the example of the Brufut road which is already in a bad condition. Darboe said he broached the idea of making that road and that former works minister Bai Lamin Jobe can attest to that
Mr Darboe saluted the newcomers to his party from Jarra Soma and its satellite villages, describing them as patriotic citizens, who have true belief in the national interest.
Speaking earlier, Momodou Sanneh, a former deputy speaker of parliament tasked Area Chairman Landing Sanneh and the youths to stand firm and ensure that the region becomes “a no-go area” for the ruling NPP.
“Let us completely eradicate hatred and tribalism in our politics and salvage our country. The UDP is the only party in this country that can rescue this country. Therefore, let all political parties in the country join UDP and form a formidable force and get rid of Barrow’s government in 2026 if we are earnest about change,” he said.
