Barrow Warns Gunjur Residents Against Politicians Seeking Power and Money

By Makutu Manneh

President Adama Barrow warned residents of Gunjur against politicians he accused of seeking the presidency for power and financial gain, saying such leaders could ultimately “enslave” Gambians.

Speaking at the inauguration of a beachside road in Gunjur, Barrow said some politicians who were afraid to speak publicly during the rule of former President Yahya Jammeh were now openly presenting themselves as alternatives and claiming they had something to offer the country.

“It is because of us that those people are no longer afraid,” Barrow said. “In 2016 they were afraid, and some believed that if they came out in public, Yahya Jammeh would feed them to crocodiles.”

Barrow urged residents to be cautious about whom they support, warning that they could later regret their choice.

He also alleged that some politicians would offer voters money in an effort to win their support. Rather than be swayed by such inducements, he said, voters should examine the records of those seeking office and consider what they had previously done for the people.

The president also questioned what he described as the sudden interest of some politicians in the everyday lives of ordinary Gambians. He said people who had rarely attended naming ceremonies, weddings or other traditional gatherings were now traveling around the country asking for votes.

“When has it ever gotten so dark in the country that people cannot recognize each other?” Barrow asked.

He urged residents to judge those seeking their votes by their past actions and their engagement with communities, rather than by their activities during the election period.