Adama Manjang, the deputy national chairperson of the National Unity Party
By Seedy Jobe
Adama Manjang, the deputy national chairperson of the National Unity Party, on Saturday urged Gambians to rethink the tone and purpose of their politics, calling for unity, restraint, and a focus on development as the country moves toward the 2026 elections.
Addressing supporters at a rally in the coastal town of Gunjur, Mr. Manjang said his party will seek to improve living conditions and govern with honesty while rejecting politics defined by division or personal attacks.
“The party has come to unite Gambians, to ease the way of living, and to govern in a truthful way,” he told the crowd. “NUP has not come to bring conflict in this country.”
Mr. Manjang stressed that political parties ultimately belong to the people, not to individuals, and urged supporters to promote the party’s message without insulting opponents. He said the country needed a change in mindset to move forward, arguing that political competition should be rooted in ideas rather than hostility.
“We need to think deeply and change our way of doing politics,” he said. “The Gambia is at a stage where our mindset needs to change to take the country forward.”
He also praised the party’s leader, Lamin J. Darboe, describing him as a capable figure whose ideas, he said, rivaled those of leaders currently in positions of authority. Mr. Manjang added that the NUP did not rely on financial inducements to attract support, emphasizing equality among citizens.
The rally marked the beginning of the National Unity Party’s efforts to mobilize supporters ahead of the 2026 national elections, as the party seeks to position itself as an alternative grounded in unity and reform.