By Fatou Sillah
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, the newly selected flagbearer of Coalition 2026, says his mandate is to unite Gambians and complete the reform agenda that began following the country’s political transition in 2016.
Speaking in an interview with West Coast Radio, Bensouda, who is also mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council and leader of the UNITE Party, said Coalition 2026 seeks to bring together Gambians, particularly those seeking an alternative to the current government, around a common platform focused on reform and national development.
“Coalition 2026 has come up with a candidate, which is myself. The mandate specifically is to complete the promise of reforms that Gambia set out to achieve in 2016,” Bensouda said. “Of course, it’s also to unify Gambians. Gambia has long been divided for the past decade or even longer.”
Bensouda said the coalition requires participating political parties to look beyond their individual interests and work toward a broader national agenda. He said its proposed governance framework is built around unity, collective decision-making, and shared national priorities.
According to Bensouda, UNITE joined Coalition 2026 after about a month of discussions despite being among the last political parties invited to participate. He said the party entered the negotiations in good faith because it believed the coalition offered an opportunity to bring about meaningful political and economic change.
He identified the rising cost of living, corruption, and crime among the coalition’s key priorities, stressing that its objective should extend beyond defeating the incumbent government to delivering effective governance.
“I always say we join a coalition to govern, not a coalition to win,” he said. “We want this country to change drastically, from cost of living to fighting corruption to crime; we want Gambia to prosper.”
Bensouda also explained that although he serves as the coalition’s flagbearer, decision-making authority is shared through the Coalition 2026 Council, which comprises leaders of the political parties and movements participating in the alliance.
He said disagreements within the coalition would be resolved democratically, with decisions on issues including campaign structures and the coalition’s manifesto determined by majority vote.
Bensouda further argued that political agreements alone are not enough to sustain a coalition beyond an election. He said lasting political alliances require trust, shared values, and a common vision among their members.
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