By Makutu Manneh
Banka Manneh, a prominent diaspora representative, has expressed concern that Gambians living abroad feel excluded from contributing to the country’s development, despite their expertise, resources, and desire to participate.
“So the diaspora inclusion is not there,” Manneh said. “They have been totally shut out of having a say in how their country is run and of coming in, contributing, and participating in the process.”
He highlighted that members of the Gambian diaspora are not only denied the right to vote but also face constitutional restrictions that prevent dual citizens from holding ministerial positions.
According to Manneh, access to key government and public service positions is often influenced by political loyalty rather than merit. “There is a ‘pay-to-play’ system where you literally must appear as a supporter or loyal fan of the ruling party,” he explained.
He noted that many Gambians in the diaspora, particularly those in the United States, are professionals working in corporate environments and are not accustomed to the culture of political patronage.
“And so the diaspora, unfortunately, most of them are not groomed in that kind of culture. Most Gambians in America are working in corporate America, and so they do not have the time to go to the Gambia and play the loyalty card and the political game to be able to secure a position,” he stated.
Despite these challenges, Manneh underscored the critical role the diaspora continues to play in national development through remittances and other contributions that sustain the Gambian economy.
“The diaspora must be engaged, and they must be allowed to vote. They must be allowed to participate in our economic process, in our political process, in our social development process, in our security sector reforms, and in all these other reforms that we have in civil service reform, all the reforms we have going on without really forcing them to kind of choose one side or the other, because that’s where the major problem lies,” Manneh emphasized.