Fatou Jaw Manneh Calls for Diaspora Voting, Says Barrow’s Nine Years Are ‘Enough’

By Seedy Jobe

Fatou Jaw Manneh, a presidential aspirant, launched her campaign on Saturday with a call for electoral reform and political change, arguing that President Adama Barrow’s nine years in office have been enough and that The Gambia needs new leadership ahead of the 2026 presidential election.

Speaking before a large crowd in Sukuta on Aug. 15, Manneh focused much of her address on voting rights for Gambians living abroad, governance, irregular migration, and the rising cost of living. Several prominent opposition figures attended the event.

Manneh said extending voting rights to Gambians in the diaspora should be a priority, criticizing the government for failing to establish a system that would allow citizens abroad to participate in national elections.

“Any Gambian in the diaspora should vote,” she said. “They should be allowed to vote and should not be treated as a money machine.”

Manneh argued that Gambians abroad contribute significantly to the country through remittances and other forms of support and should also have a voice in choosing its leaders.

Turning to the Independent Electoral Commission, Manneh said she respected the institution but urged election officials to ensure that the coming presidential election is conducted transparently and credibly.

Much of her speech was devoted to President Barrow’s record in office. Manneh accused the administration of accelerating development projects as the election approaches after failing to address longstanding problems earlier in its tenure.

She cited persistent electricity challenges as an example of what she described as a gap between the government’s promises and its performance.

Manneh said Gambians had given Barrow an opportunity to govern after the country’s democratic transition, but she argued that concerns over crime, public finances and the economic pressures facing ordinary households had intensified during his presidency.

“Nine years is enough,” she said, urging voters not to give the Barrow administration another term.

Manneh also linked the country’s economic difficulties to irregular migration, pointing to the continued deaths of young Gambians attempting dangerous sea journeys in search of opportunities abroad.

She said reducing such migration would require creating jobs, strengthening the education system, and giving young people greater opportunities to build their futures at home.

Manneh closed by calling for unity among Gambians seeking political change and urged voters not to be intimidated.

“Do not be afraid. Put your hands together. We are doing this for The Gambia,” she said, adding that her campaign was not driven by a desire for political positions but by what she described as a broader effort to advance the country.