By Fatou Sillah
The Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council and leader of the newly formed Unite Movement for Change (UMC), Talib Ahmed Bensouda, said some members of the United Democratic Party (UDP) privately support his political move but are reluctant to publicly defect, citing fear of backlash and personal attacks.
In an interview with Skypower Radio and Television Services, Mr. Bensouda addressed criticism surrounding his departure from the UDP and the launch of his own party, saying his work record continues to resonate with many Gambians.
“I have spoken to one or two who said, ‘Look, I want to join, but I fear the repercussions. I fear being insulted,’” he said. “There is quite a lot of that.”
Mr. Bensouda said much of the criticism directed at him is driven by partisan loyalties rather than an assessment of his performance in public office. He argued that political allegiances in The Gambia often determine whether a public figure is praised or condemned.
“Most of the love and hate is based on party lines,” he said, noting that individuals who were once criticized for opposing the UDP were later celebrated by the same critics after joining the party.
He added that he has already earned the trust of many Gambians through his work, even as some staunch UDP supporters remain unhappy with his decision.
“I have already built the trust of Gambians. Certainly, the people who are die hard UDPians will not be happy but it is the same as when I was in UDP, I could not have that credibility or trust with the ruling party supporters. So in Gambia, you are the villain when you are not part of a party and you will be celebrated when you are part of the party,” he said.
Mr. Bensouda said he is now seeing growing support from citizens who previously aligned with other parties, attributing the shift to their appreciation of his administration’s achievements at the municipal level.
“I have already built the trust of Gambians, certainly people who supported other parties may not have been happy before, but I see their support now because they appreciate the work we are doing,” he said.
While acknowledging that many people remain loyal to their political parties, he said ordinary Gambians increasingly judge leaders by their contributions rather than party affiliation.
“Politics affects every aspect of life in this country — from child mortality to security, migration and poverty,” he said. “It’s a serious affair and must be taken seriously, and that’s exactly what we are doing at UMC.”
He said the UMC is open to members of both the ruling party and the opposition, but emphasized that his priority is to help build a strong opposition.
“Our doors are open to everybody both the opposition and the ruling party” he said. “But certainly the joy we would have from people who are in power deciding to be part of the opposition far outweighs people from other opposition parties joining the UMC.”
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