Hon. Bakary B. Darboe and Dr. Ousman Gajigo
By Seedy Jobe
Gambia For All (GFA) and the Patriotic Progressive Alliance (PPA) announced on Saturday that they have merged into a single political party, retaining the name Gambia For All, in what leaders described as a strategic effort to address the country’s deep governance challenges.
The decision followed weeks of discussions and was unanimously approved by the governing bodies of both groups, according to a statement issued on Jan. 31. Party officials said the move was taken in what they called the “supreme interest” of The Gambia.
In the statement, the newly unified party said the talks revealed broad agreement on the country’s most pressing problems and on policies they believe are needed to reverse decades of institutional decline.
The parties pointed to what they described as the lasting effects of three decades of poor governance, citing mismanagement of public resources and corruption as factors that have weakened state institutions.
“Together with many conscious citizens, these forces have observed with consternation the deleterious effect of 30 years of bad governance,” the statement said, adding that the legacy of misrule had reduced The Gambia to what it called a dysfunctional and ineffective state.
Leaders of the merged party said rebuilding governance structures would be a central priority, beginning with the adoption of a new constitution aimed at strengthening democratic institutions.
They outlined plans to rebalance power among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; improve access to justice; and implement electoral reforms to increase transparency. The party also pledged to modernize the civil service and revive the national economy.
“The reforms will address the modernization of the civil service [and] reenergize and direct the national economy to maximize economic output,” the statement said, adding that increased revenues would help fund social services, with particular attention to women and young people.
The merger comes amid broader efforts by opposition groups to consolidate ahead of future elections. Party leaders described the alliance as a step toward building a stronger, more unified opposition.
“This fusion marks an important building block in the current effort to bring opposition parties together as a formidable force capable of bringing about the required change in this country,” the statement concluded.
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