The National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the INSPIRE Project, has challenged Gambian youth to lead the charge for peaceful, credible elections ahead of the December 5, 2026 presidential poll.
The call was made at a youth civic engagement held in Bakadaji, under the theme “Empowering Youth for Inclusive Electoral Participation.”
The forum brought together students, first-time voters and youth organisations to discuss electoral participation, democratic governance and the role of young people in safeguarding peace.
Yusupha Bojang, Chief Civic Educator at NCCE, said youth constitute the majority of the electorate and must shape The Gambia’s democratic future.
He urged them to vote on issues, not tribe or personality, mobilise peers to participate, and firmly reject hate speech, tribalism and religious intolerance, especially on social media.
Ajie Fatou Bah, Programme Manager at the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice and facilitator, warned against misinformation and political intolerance.
“Focus on issues, not personalities. Verify information before sharing it. Political differences must not destroy national unity and social cohesion,” she told participants.
Yunusa Sambou, representing the Kanifing Municipal Youth Committee, demanded greater inclusion of women, persons with disabilities and marginalised communities, and called on youth to reject electoral violence and champion accountability, transparency and peaceful participation.
The Bakadaji engagement was the final leg of a nationwide caravan that covered Basse, Janjanbureh, Farafenni, Soma and Brikama.
Organisers tasked participants to take the message back to their communities — become ambassadors for civic education, peaceful elections and responsible citizenship.
