Darboe Fires Back at Hamat Bah: ‘I Wonder Where His Conscience Has Gone’

By Seedy Jobe

United Democratic Party leader Ousainu Darboe has sharply criticized Lands Minister Hamat Bah over his recent remarks about the UDP, questioning whether his longtime political ally has abandoned the principles they once shared.

Speaking Tuesday during an interview with UDP Online Bantaba, Mr. Darboe said he was surprised by Mr. Bah’s comments, arguing that the minister knows him better than most politicians currently aligned with President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party.

Mr. Darboe recalled that he and Mr. Bah spent years on the same side of the political struggle, campaigning and forming alliances in opposition to former President Yahya Jammeh. He argued that many of the practices they condemned during the Jammeh era are now being repeated by a government in which Mr. Bah serves as a senior minister.

“All the things we were fighting against during Jammeh’s era are now being repeated by the government that Hamat Bah belongs to. And I wonder where his conscience has gone,” Mr. Darboe said.

The UDP leader questioned whether Mr. Bah’s previous objections to the Jammeh government were based on principle, asking why conduct considered unacceptable then should be viewed differently under the current administration.

Mr. Darboe also rejected accusations of tribalism directed at him, noting that Mr. Bah himself had previously defended him publicly against such allegations. He maintained that he is not, and could never be, a tribalist and urged politicians to seek votes through what he described as decent and honest campaigning rather than divisive accusations.

He also dismissed claims that a UDP government would carry out widespread dismissals of civil servants, describing the allegation as misleading and designed to create fear among public employees.

Mr. Darboe argued that political pressure on the civil service has instead intensified under the current administration. He cited previous remarks by President Barrow suggesting that civil servants who profess political neutrality should be regarded as opposition supporters and dealt with accordingly.

According to Mr. Darboe, such statements reflected the same political practices that opposition parties fought against during the Jammeh era. He said Mr. Bah was aware of those remarks and argued that a politician acting strictly on principle would have resigned from the government.

Mr. Darboe said Gambian public servants were unlikely to accept Mr. Bah’s characterization of the UDP’s intentions, accusing the minister of attempting to exploit their concerns for political purposes.

He added that dismissing the entire civil service would be both impractical and damaging, saying such a move would bring the machinery of government to a standstill.

The veteran opposition leader also defended the UDP’s position on involving Gambians living abroad in public service. He said a UDP administration would not exclude qualified diaspora Gambians from government appointments, but would emphasize competence, experience, commitment, and knowledge when selecting people to serve.

Mr. Darboe said the party would continue advocating for Gambians in the diaspora to be consulted on matters of national importance and to be given the opportunity to participate fully in the country’s political life.