By Amadou Jadama
Ousman Jobe, the leader of the so-called “People’s Rights Party” (PRP, yet to be formally granted party status by the electoral commission) has vowed to legalise marijuana in The Gambia if he wins the December 2026 presidential election.
The Jarra Sankuya native, who describes himself as an artist and a historian,
told The Standard yesterday: “If Gambians elect me into office in 2026, the first thing I will do, is legalise marijuana and release all those sent to prison because of marijuana.”
Asked why, Mr Jobe responded: “Mile 2 Prison in Banjul is congested because of this marijuana. Young people have been arrested on the streets while the others even lost their lives. That is untenable. Countries like Morocco have legalised it and you can smoke marijuana in front of a police officer without fear of arrest. This is why I also want to legalise it in this country.”
Jobe said he will fully computerise the course system to aid the dispensation of justice, introduce price control “because people are suffering” and the cost of living is unbearable, and revive the Jahally-Pacharr rice field to attend rice self-sufficiency
“If I am giving the chance to rule this country, I swear to Allah, I will change the lives of the Gambians, because I know how they are suffering. To develop this country is very easy. The Gambia is very small compared to other countries. I had travelled to 11 countries, and they are well developed. Why is The Gambia still so underdeveloped?” he asked.
Mr Jobe said one of the gravest impediments to the country’s development is the pervasive corruption. To curb the menace, he said: “I will introduce the death penalty. If anybody embezzles public funds, including myself as the president, you will be arrested, prosecuted and if you are found guilty, you will be sentenced to death.”
On whether he is open to joining a coalition or forming alliances with other political parties, Jobe said: “I am not going to join with any political party, because my ideas and their ideas are different. Even if they approach me, I will not join them, I will contest alone. Even if President Adama Barrow offers me ten billion dalasis, I will not take it,” he asserted.
