“Two Ward By-Election Wins Do Not Constitute Nationwide Endorsement” — MC Cham Jr. Rejects President Barrow’s Claims

MC Cham Jr. Business Councillor KMC

By Seedy Jobe 

The Business Councillor at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) and a leading member of the Unite Movement for Change (UMC), MC Cham Jr., has strongly rejected President Adama Barrow’s assertion that the outcome of the recently concluded ward by-elections amounted to a national referendum on his administration.

Cham described the president’s characterization of the by-elections as “misleading and inaccurate,” arguing that victories in two wards cannot be interpreted as a nationwide endorsement of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).

“President Adama Barrow’s attempt to portray the recent by-elections as a national referendum between the National People’s Party and the opposition is both misleading and inaccurate,” he said. “Winning two ward by-elections does not amount to a nationwide endorsement, nor does it offer any reliable indication of the likely outcome of the 2026 presidential election.” 

He pointed to the results in Bantanjang, where nearly 60 per cent of voters reportedly backed opposition candidates, as evidence that public sentiment remains divided. According to him, this outcome directly challenges claims that the by-election results reflect broad approval of the government’s performance or policy direction.

Cham further argued that the emergence of the Unite Movement for Change has significantly altered the country’s political dynamics, noting a growing shift of former President Barrow supporters towards the new movement.

“Many former supporters of President Barrow are now shifting their allegiance towards UNITE, signaling growing dissatisfaction and a desire for credible alternatives rather than renewed confidence in the status quo,” he said. 

The KMC business councillor emphasized that ward by-elections should be viewed within their proper context, describing them as local contests with limited national implications. “Local contests with limited national significance. Presenting them as a referendum on the presidency oversimplifies a complex political reality and ignores clear evidence of voter movement and discontent. The true test of national support will come in 2026, and not before.”