By Seedy Jobe
The National Assembly Member for Kiang West, Hon. Lamin Ceesay, has said that voters in his constituency cannot be taken for granted by any political party, arguing that residents judge governments primarily on governance, accountability, and service delivery rather than infrastructure projects alone.
Speaking Friday on The Grand Bantaba programme, Ceesay rejected the perception that Kiang West is a political stronghold belonging to any single party, despite the area’s long-standing association with the United Democratic Party (UDP).
“If anyone has that notion, you don’t know Kiang West. Kiang West is a no-go area for nobody—not for any political party, not even for President Adama Barrow,” he said.
Ceesay pointed to neighboring Kiang Central as an illustration of the region’s evolving political landscape. He noted that the current National Assembly member initially sought the National People’s Party (NPP) nomination but, after failing to secure the ticket, contested the election as an independent candidate. The candidate defeated both the NPP and UDP nominees before later joining the NPP.
According to Ceesay, the outcome demonstrated the NPP’s ability to gain political ground in an area that had previously been represented by the UDP.
He said the UDP has since intensified efforts to reclaim the seat and expressed confidence that the party has addressed many of the factors that contributed to its earlier defeat.
“The party has covered about 75 percent of the ground,” he said. “And, Insha’Allah, the seat will come back to the UDP.”
Turning to Kiang West, Ceesay maintained that the constituency’s political support is driven by principles rather than personalities. He said any candidate contesting under the UDP banner would receive a favorable reception because voters are guided by broader governance issues instead of individual candidates.
The lawmaker argued that development projects alone are insufficient to secure the support of Kiang West residents. He said constituents routinely question how projects are financed, whether public resources are being used responsibly, and whether the quality of work reflects the taxes they contribute.
He noted that residents pay house tax, cattle tax, income tax, and road tax, just like citizens in Banjul, and therefore expect the same standard of public services.
“So is bringing that wealth back to us enough for us to support the government? No, it is not enough,” he said.
Ceesay said voters in Kiang West evaluate governments on a broad range of issues, including transparency, corruption, public security, employment opportunities, irregular migration, women’s economic empowerment, maternal mortality, and workers’ salaries.
He argued that this approach explains the constituency’s voting pattern over the years, noting that Kiang West rejected former President Yahya Jammeh, supported President Adama Barrow in the 2016 presidential election, but has not backed him in subsequent elections.
Ceesay added that he would have no difficulty supporting President Barrow if the government adopted the policies that residents of Kiang West are demanding.
“I would be the first person to join Barrow’s camp if those policies are implemented,” he said. “But so long as that is not done, Kiang West will remain as it is.”
On service delivery, the lawmaker said several concerns raised by constituents are being addressed in collaboration with government ministries and development partners.
He cited the ongoing renovation of the Karantaba Health Centre, which he said is being undertaken by the Chinese company that originally constructed the facility in partnership with the Gambian government.
Ceesay also highlighted improvements to water access in Jifarong, explaining that the community previously lacked a reliable water supply. Following engagements with the Ministry of Water Resources and support from a non-governmental organisation, he said, a borehole was constructed at the local hospital.
He added that efforts are also underway to expand support for youth groups and women’s gardening initiatives across the constituency.
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