By Makutu Manneh
Mama Kandeh, leader of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress, defended his party’s new alliance with President Adama Barrow’s ruling National People’s Party on Wednesday, describing it not as a bid for power but as a commitment to shared responsibility for the country’s future.
Speaking at a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony at State House, Mr. Kandeh addressed head-on the question of why his party was joining forces with the NPP after a decade spent as one of its sharpest critics.
“The answer is very simple because our loyalty has always been to The Gambia first,” he said. “Our mission has never been opposition for the sake of opposition. Our mission has always been service to our country and people.”
Mr. Kandeh argued that if cooperation between the two parties could deliver jobs for young people, opportunities for farmers, improved healthcare and education, and stronger security, then responsible leadership required considering that path rather than dismissing it on principle.
He rejected the notion that the alliance amounted to political weakness or a betrayal of his party’s founding principles, calling it instead an act of statesmanship and political maturity. The country’s future, he said, mattered more than political rivalry, and national progress depended on leaders willing to set aside their differences for a common purpose.
“If we ultimately choose cooperation, it will be because we believe unity can deliver more opportunities for our youth, greater prosperity for our farmers, stronger institutions for our democracy, greater security for our citizens, and a brighter future for generations unborn,” he said.
Mr. Kandeh said his party’s political journey had always been guided by service rather than personal ambition, and he pledged that the GDC would continue to advocate for ordinary Gambians and push for accountability, transparency, and national development within the new arrangement.
He urged President Barrow not to be apprehensive about the alliance, saying the GDC had not simply joined his government but had come to work. He called on members of both parties to match that commitment rather than assume victory was guaranteed, saying he wanted a win in the coming presidential election that would be remembered for a century.
Addressing critics of the alliance, Mr. Kandeh was unapologetic. “Gambian politics is funny; you have the right to join any party you want, but Mama Kandeh doesn’t have the right to be where he wants to be,” he said. “Since you cannot have what you want, nobody is good, and you will keep insulting. I am not bothered by those insults and criticisms.”
Comments are closed.