Bensouda Vows to End Foreign Military Protection of Presidency, Outlines Development Plans for Foni

By Seedy Jobe

Talib Ahmed Bensouda, the Coalition 2026 presidential candidate and mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council, has pledged to end foreign military protection of the Gambian presidency if elected in December, saying the responsibility for safeguarding the country’s leader and national security should rest exclusively with Gambian forces.

“No soldier will guard President Talib Bensouda if they are not Gambian soldiers,” Bensouda told supporters at a political rally in Bwiam, Foni, on Saturday.

The gathering marked Coalition 2026’s first major public engagement since unveiling its election manifesto earlier in the week at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul.

Addressing a crowd of supporters, Bensouda presented the manifesto as a roadmap for his proposed administration, outlining an agenda centered on good governance, human development, and economic integrity. He expressed confidence that the coalition’s policies would resonate with voters and help defeat President Adama Barrow in the December presidential election.

A central theme of his address was national sovereignty, particularly the continued presence of the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG).

Bensouda said his administration would prioritize the withdrawal of the regional military force and transfer full responsibility for national security to Gambian personnel.

He also raised concerns about what he described as repeated incursions into Gambian territory, alleging that individuals had crossed the country’s borders and caused destruction without an adequate response from security authorities.

Such incidents, he warned, would not be tolerated under a Coalition 2026 government.

Beyond security, Bensouda outlined a series of development proposals aimed at expanding Foni’s administrative autonomy, improving access to higher education, and creating economic opportunities for local communities.

Among his proposals was a plan to establish Foni as a separate administrative region, with its own local government institutions, including an area council and municipal leadership.

He argued that Foni’s geographical size and development needs warranted greater administrative representation and a governance structure better equipped to address the concerns of its residents.

Bensouda also proposed transforming Foni into an international education hub by attracting foreign universities to establish campuses in the area.

The initiative, he said, would form part of a broader effort to position The Gambia as a regional destination for higher education, offering students access to internationally recognized academic programs without necessarily having to study abroad.

On economic policy, Bensouda pledged to give greater priority to Gambian businesses and skilled workers in the awarding of government contracts.

He said his administration would seek to ensure that public expenditure directly benefits local enterprises, including carpenters, welders, and other artisans whose skills could contribute to national development.

From Kartong in the west to Koina in the east, he said, Gambian artisans should have opportunities to participate in government-funded projects rather than see such work routinely awarded elsewhere.

He singled out skilled workers in Foni as potential beneficiaries of the proposed policy, arguing that government procurement should serve as a tool for job creation, domestic production and economic empowerment.

Bensouda maintained that redirecting public spending toward local businesses would help retain more money within the Gambian economy while strengthening small enterprises and creating employment opportunities.

The Bwiam rally offered Bensouda an opportunity to take his coalition’s newly unveiled manifesto directly to voters, linking his broader campaign promises on sovereignty, governance and economic reform to longstanding concerns about development and representation in Foni.

With the December election approaching, Bensouda is seeking to position Coalition 2026 as an alternative to the Barrow administration, promising changes in how the country is governed, secured and economically developed.