Manneh Accuses President Barrow of Using Meet the People Tour for Political Gain

By Fatou Sillah

Ebrima Tabora Manneh, leader of the People’s Alliance Party, has accused President Adama Barrow of using the government’s Meet the People Tour to gain a political advantage ahead of the 2026 presidential election.

Manneh acknowledged that the president has a constitutional mandate to tour the country but questioned the cost and timing of the exercise, arguing that it is increasingly difficult to separate the tour from electoral politics.

“It is an election year; any leverage that the incumbent has to stay in power, they will utilize it,” Manneh said. “So this is not for the people or the farmers and not necessarily for the Gambians, but he is going to meet his people to do politics and prepare himself to have an advantage.”

He also criticized the size of the presidential delegation, saying government vehicles from various departments are sometimes deployed for the tour while public officials participate at the expense of their regular duties.

Manneh argued that the government could significantly reduce costs by limiting the delegation to officials whose responsibilities are directly related to the issues being discussed, particularly agriculture and rural development.

“If the tour is about farmers, he can select one or two ministers or their PS or other people who will at least add value to go with the president, which will minimize cost,” he said.

Manneh also questioned whether such an extensive tour is necessary for the president to understand the concerns of Gambians, arguing that citizens routinely raise issues affecting their communities through the media and other public platforms.

Turning to the government’s broader record, Manneh warned that the country could face greater economic difficulties if the Barrow administration is re-elected, accusing it of lacking the vision and capacity needed to address The Gambia’s challenges.

He expressed particular concern about the country’s debt obligations, saying rising interest payments could place further pressure on public finances.

While acknowledging the Barrow administration’s investments in roads and electricity, Manneh said those achievements should be weighed against the country’s growing debt burden when assessing the government’s overall record.