NPP – The incumbent: President Adama Barrow
In 2016, our tiny nation, The Gambia, stood tall on the world stage. We did the impossible — we overthrew a rich, brutal, and entrenched dictator through unity. A historic coalition of political parties came together and gave us our “Moses”, Adama Barrow, the man who was supposed to lead us to the promised land of democracy. The world cheered. We cheered. But what did we really get?
From the onset, it was clear Barrow lacked the intelligence, vision, and leadership we desperately needed. Even kids warned us: “This guy is not impressive.” But the UDP, the strongest opposition party, vouched for him. They sold him as honest, a man of integrity. We bought it wholesale, convinced that if the UDP believed in him, he was good for the country. How wrong we were.
Once in power, Barrow systematically dismantled the coalition, removing opposition figures one by one. The only party left standing was PDOIS, which never took an executive role in the first place. He even kicked out his political mentor, Ousainu Darboe, the very man who catapulted him to the presidency. And then, in desperation, he sought an alliance with the very dictator we removed! Yahya Jammeh publicly humiliated him, calling him “a donkey” and yet, he still pursued remnants of the dictator’s APRC party. That was the reason some of us who gave him the benefit of the doubt, bolted out quick.
To his credit, he successfully split the APRC into factions: The “Yes to Barrow” camp and the “No-To-Alliance” Jammeh loyalists (or whatever confusing names they call themselves). It was like watching a circus. In all of this, Barrow turned his back on the very people who put him in power — including the diaspora, grassroots activists, and the victims of Jammeh’s brutal regime.
Instead, he embraced the likes of Seedy Njie, Jammeh’s right-hand man — the very guy who fought tooth and nail with the dictator to ensure Barrow never became president. When Jammeh was ousted, Seedy Njie fled with the dictator, only to be welcomed back by Barrow and later rewarded with the position of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. What a betrayal of our struggle!
At least, under Barrow, we gained the freedom to say whatever we wanted. He is mild-mannered and looked harmless — a far cry from his predecessor. But mild manners and harmlessness do not build nations. Leadership does. And in that department, he has failed spectacularly.
For the first time in our country’s history, on several occasions, commercial planes could not land due to power outages at the airport. Corruption is out of control, eating away at every institution, while the government drowns in sheer incompetence. The destruction of forest parks for selfish gain continues unchecked with lands being sold off to private citizens, erasing our endangered flora and fauna. Even properties seized from the former dictator — assets that could have been used for government projects such as future parks, army barracks, schools, and hospitals — are being sold off mysteriously. Everything — from real estate to even Jammeh’s cattle – are being liquidated without accountability, as if the state itself is up for sale. This level of recklessness is unprecedented, and The Gambia is bleeding from it.
One of Barrow’s most disgraceful acts is hiding behind constitutional loopholes to disenfranchise Gambian citizens abroad from voting. The very people who fought tirelessly for democracy and contribute nearly a billion dollars to the economy have been shut out of the electoral process by his NPP and its cohorts like the NRP when they voted against the bill in parliament. It was a blatant betrayal, a calculated move to weaken opposition forces and maintain Barrow and the NPP’s grip on power at the expense of democracy itself.
And now, as if two terms of failure are not enough, Barrow announced his intention to run a third term — something that must be discouraged, even if he were to have done exceptionally well. The Gambia cannot afford to slide back to an era where presidents cling to power endlessly. Enough is enough.
UDP – The ‘biggest opposition’?
UDP claims to be the largest opposition party. It led the coalition, but when the government collapsed, what did its members do? Declare war on Barrow. Their leader, Ousainu Darboe, vowed to make the government ungovernable — despite his own role in dissolving the coalition or turning a blind eye to its downfall, until Barrow dismissed him from the vice president and foreign affairs ministry positions. UDP politics is about absolute power and control, not about The Gambia.
Organised? Yes. Disciplined? Absolutely. Smart? Without a doubt.
But here’s the problem: It is an extremely dangerous party. It operates with a cult-like mentality where there is no room for dissent — either you are with them or against them. Arrogance, intolerance and bullying define their approach, allowing zero tolerance for opposing views. Their aggression is so extreme that many Gambians refer to them as the ‘Janjaweed’ — a ruthless force that eliminates opposition. They are also dubbed ‘Sonka-doo,’ in Mandinka meaning ‘Quarrel Kingdom,’ or ‘quarrel territory’ a name that fits them perfectly. The party thrives on hostility, turning every disagreement into an all-out war.
Its members hurl insults of opponents like drunken sailors, harassing, intimidating, and threatening anyone who refuses to toe their line. Their obsession with power is so intense that even those who respect their intellect fear them at the ballot box.
They operate like a parallel government, using threats and intimidation to silence opposition. We have witnessed this in the 2021 elections when they were rounding up polling stations, checking on ‘foreigners’ who vote, intimidating those they suspect of not belonging. This was not just a political strategy, it was outright voter suppression – an attempt to control and manipulate the democratic process through fear and exclusion
Their deep-seated anti-immigrant sentiment fuels their rhetoric as they continuously blame Fulas and Senegalese for their political failures, fear-mongering against so-called ‘foreigners’ to divide and control. They drown in their own noise, mistaking it for national popularity. (They are accused of being a tribalist party but they are not. Worth mentioning).
They lost the 2021 elections to Barrow and still can’t understand why. The truth? Even some of their sympathisers feared them and refused to vote for them. Their party executives and members on the ground and in the diaspora are smart, educated, and extremely loyal. Some of their frontline leaders, including Lamin Sanneh, Yankuba Darboe, Talib Bensouda, and Rohey Malick Lowe, are bold, brilliant, and serious intellectuals. However, even with a fresh face at the helm, if the party remains in control, many Gambians may still hesitate to vote for them. Their aggression, intimidation, and intolerance keep Gambians from entrusting them with ultimate power.
Imagine UDP being in control of the armoury, the army, defence, police, immigration, and intelligence services. Imagine that. Just imagine! Does… Do we really want that kind of unchecked power in their hands? WE DARE NOT.
PDOIS – The unwanted saints?
Halifa Sallah and Sidia Jatta are political titans — principled, intelligent, and honest. Yet for 30 years, Gambians have ignored them. Why? Because we love drama, corruption, and mediocrity. Instead of voting for integrity, we applaud thieves and demagogues.
The PDOIS record is spotless. No corruption, no betrayal. Just raw, unfiltered leadership. Why not give them a chance? What do we have to fear? For once, can we choose honesty over theatrics?
GDC – Mamma Kandeh – The wild card
Mamma Kandeh is eloquent, brave, but a spoiler in every election due to his pocket of loyal supporters — making him a dangerous opponent. He understands our struggles and articulates them well. The only ‘scandal’ around him? He reportedly has many, many, many wives. Not our business — but he should know that State House only has room for two. He remains a strong political force, one to watch in any alliance. He is a great orator and can blend well in any coalition.
The Sobeyaa Movement – Essa Faal – The lawyer-turned-politician
Essa Faal entered politics at the last minute in 2021 and made no impact. He is an international lawyer who rose to prominence after presiding over the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRRC). While Gambians appreciated his ability to hold perpetrators of Jammeh’s crimes accountable, we cannot forget the many lawyers who risked their careers and lives to help victims escape Jammeh’s brutality — Ousman Sillah, Lamin Camara, Antouman Gaye, Lamin J Darbo, Borry Touray, Ousainu Darboe, Pap Cheyassin Secka, and even Pa Harry Jammeh – who, despite working under Jammeh, at times showed empathy. And also, many other innocent civilians including journalists, activists and politicians who lost their lives and jobs in that very tough era.
Unlike them, Essa Faal and his team of ‘legal experts’ were nowhere to be found during the tough years of the dictatorship. Some of us held that against him for a while. But no time for grudges now! Yet, he successfully leveraged his TRRC fame into politics. Still, he is articulate, intelligent, and undeniably sharp. His vision for The Gambia is clear, and his words resonate. Now, he believes it is his time to contribute, participate, and save The Gambia. His message is clear: He understands our predicament and is asking for our support.
Should we take a chance with him? Why not? A fresh start is long overdue. Maybe he is the breath of fresh air we need. Maybe, just maybe, he is the disruptor who can shake up this broken system. But let’s be clear — he has a lot to prove.
GMC-CA
We have Mai Ahmed Fatty of GMC, Dr Ismaila Ceesay of Citizens’ Alliance (CA), and Henry Gomez of … can’t remember the name of his party, already in alliance with NPP.
Women must rise!
It’s time for bold, fearless women to take the centre stage: Lizzie Eunson, Touma Njie, Neneh Freda Gomez, Fatou Cham, Zeinab Darboe, Tukulor Sey, Niania Darbo, Ndey Jobarteh, Nancy Jallow, Fanta SB Manneh – to name just a few from many. These women have the integrity, intelligence, and political acumen to lead. Desperate times call for bold measures.
Our predicament: The ultimate challenge
How do we rid ourselves of the ungrateful political monster that is Barrow and the aggressive, intolerant, power-hungry UDP? The UDP-NPP quarrels have cost us some political peace, and both must go! Honestly, we are tired. BUT WE MUST create a mini-revolution against these two parties so The Gambia can breathe again. Let the rest of the opposition parties band together and save The Gambia for a second time.
This is the question that defines our generation. The Gambia is at a crossroads. We can choose leadership based on integrity and competence, or we can avoid costly political mishaps that will set us back yet again. The choice is ours. The Gambia’s future is on the line. What will we do? Enough is enough! Our country is held hostage by NPP and UDP leaders! From dictatorship to disaster. How do we fix The Gambia? Who will break The Gambia’s curse? The people must decide. The Gambia must rise. Now. Aiwaa!
