Mayor Lowe Urges Women to Vote for Change, Citing Killings, Migrant Deaths, and Water Shortages

By Seedy Jobe

Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe has urged Gambian women and young people to use their votes to demand change, citing growing concerns over insecurity, deaths along irregular migration routes and inadequate access to basic services.

Speaking at a United Democratic Party (UDP) political meeting in Dippa Kunda, Ms. Lowe said women bear a disproportionate burden of the country’s social and economic challenges and must play a leading role in shaping its political future.

She called on women to demonstrate solidarity with one another and recognize the power of their votes in addressing the difficulties confronting families and communities across the country.

The mayor expressed concern over reports of killings, describing the frequency of such incidents as alarming. She reminded her audience that every victim was someone’s child and that mothers often endure profound suffering when lives are lost to violence.

Ms. Lowe argued that women have a collective responsibility to stand together in the face of such tragedies.

“Solidarity is when one woman cries; all women should cry,” she said.

Turning to irregular migration, the mayor spoke about the desperation driving young Gambians to embark on dangerous sea journeys in search of better opportunities abroad.

She described the anguish experienced by mothers whose children leave home aboard migrant boats, often without any assurance that they will reach their destinations safely.

According to Ms. Lowe, some families spend three or four days without hearing from their children, only to receive devastating reports of boats capsizing and dozens or even hundreds of passengers losing their lives.

She said such tragedies have left many Gambian mothers grieving and argued that the circumstances pushing young people toward dangerous migration routes require urgent political attention.

The mayor maintained that women could help bring about change by participating actively in the electoral process and supporting leaders they believe can address the country’s challenges.

Ms. Lowe also highlighted the difficulties faced by women in rural communities, particularly those struggling with inadequate access to clean drinking water.

She contrasted their circumstances with those of households that enjoy reliable running water, urging Gambians in better-served communities not to overlook the hardships experienced by families in the provinces.

The mayor argued that genuine solidarity with rural women should extend beyond expressions of sympathy to political action aimed at improving their living conditions.

She urged women and young people to turn out in large numbers in the December 5 presidential election and support UDP leader Ousainu Darboe, whom she presented as the candidate capable of addressing the country’s challenges.

Concluding her remarks, Ms. Lowe made a personal appeal to her supporters, relatives, friends, and neighbors, asking those who trust her leadership to extend that confidence to Mr. Darboe at the ballot box.

She maintained that the election presented an opportunity for women to translate their concerns over insecurity, irregular migration and inadequate public services into a demand for political change.