By Fatou Sillah
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council and leader of the United Movement for Change (UMC), asserted on Thursday that his party holds the most promising political prospects as the country approaches the 2026 presidential elections.
Speaking on the Dialectic Space podcast with host Ebrima Sonko, Bensouda highlighted the party’s appeal among young Gambians as a key factor shaping its trajectory. “We believe that we have the biggest chance in politics at the moment for many reasons. One, I believe, for the first time, I think youths resonate with our party; a lot of youths look up to us because they like what they hear,” he said.
Bensouda added that young Gambians are increasingly aligning with the UMC. “They believe that we are thinking about their future, and in large, large numbers they are aligning with the UMC, and they are the majority,” he said.
The UMC leader also stressed that the party is open to strategic partnerships designed to foster positive change, rather than solely to unseat an incumbent government.
“Like, I don’t believe in coalitions just to remove somebody; I believe in coalitions to bring change, to bring positive change, and we are seeing a lot of emerging political parties that are already aligned with our vision and the way we see the Gambia,” he said.
Looking ahead to the 2026 elections, Bensouda hinted at significant developments. “So I think there are a lot of interesting things going to happen in 2026, and this is just the beginning,” he said.