Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of Kanifing
By Makutu Manneh
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) and a member of the United Democratic Movement for Change (UMC), has sharply criticized President Adama Barrow’s record in office, describing his administration as lacking effective governance.
Speaking in a recent interview on Gambia Talents TV, Mayor Bensouda argued that President Barrow has failed to govern in a substantive manner, contending that the president’s primary claim to achievement is that he has not ruled as a dictator.
“President Barrow has not governed; I think that is widely agreed. President Barrow only boasts that since he came, he has not been a dictator. That is his selling point,” he stated.
The mayor stressed that refraining from dictatorship should not be presented as an achievement, noting that an elected president is expected to govern democratically by default. He added that leadership should not be measured by comparisons with former president Yahya Jammeh on the basis of authoritarianism. “If you want to compete with Yahya Jammeh whether you are a dictator or not, I do not think that is something a leader should be competing on.”
According to Mayor Bensouda, democratic governance requires the formulation and implementation of laws, policies, regulations, and institutional reforms aimed at improving the lives of citizens. He argued that President Barrow’s administration has fallen short in this regard, claiming it has failed to introduce meaningful legislation or policy frameworks.
He further described the current administration as the worst period in terms of corruption, alleging that corrupt practices have been allowed to persist without effective oversight or accountability.
“The anti-corruption bill is not passed; the anti-corruption institutions are not respected. Looking at what happened with the National Audit Office. President Barrow said audits are opinions, ”he noted.
Nonetheless, Mayor Bensouda acknowledged some progress under the Barrow administration, particularly in physical infrastructure such as roads and health facilities. However, he maintained that the pace of development has been slow and that far more could have been achieved within the same timeframe.
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