ANM Ousainu Darboe, Party Leader, UDP
By Makutu Manneh
Ousainu Darboe, the leader of The Gambia’s United Democratic Party, appealed on Sunday for political unity with residents of Foni as the country heads toward the 2026 presidential election. He argued that only a government rooted in the people’s interests can address the country’s deepening social and economic problems.
Speaking at a gathering in Foni Batabutu, in the country’s western region, Mr. Darboe said communities across The Gambia face similar hardships. “The challenges confronting Jarra, Sandu, and Fulladu are the same challenges facing Foni,” he told supporters. “We must work together to elect a government that truly represents the people.”
Mr. Darboe pointed to development initiatives led by Yankuba Darboe, the chairman of the Brikama Area Council, as evidence of what he said local government leaders can achieve when given a mandate. Those elected officials, he said, have been entrusted to “work for the country.”
He argued that a UDP victory in 2026 would provide meaningful benefits for rural communities, especially for young people who, he warned, are increasingly leaving the country through irregular migration because of limited opportunities. “The saddest part,” he said, “is that women are embarking on the journey with their children.”
To stem that exodus and create economic prospects at home, Mr. Darboe urged Gambians to “unite and bring in a government that benefits them all.” He asked voters to put the national interest before personal or political divisions and insisted that change must come through the ballot box, cautioning against “taking the country backward through other means.”
He closed his remarks with a call for all eligible citizens to obtain voter cards and cast ballots for him in the upcoming presidential race.