Haji Sawaneh, UDP National Youth President
By Seedy Jobe
Hagi Suwaneh, the National Youth President of the United Democratic Party (UDP), has raised concerns over the source and purpose of a D50 million allocation linked to the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), describing the development as troubling and potentially inconsistent with anti-corruption commitments.
In a statement, Suwaneh criticized President Adama Barrow for what he described as substantial financing directed toward the ruling party, particularly at a time when the country is less than a year away from national elections.
According to him, the allocation of such a large sum to a single political project by a ruling party raises serious governance and corruption concerns.
“A Gambian political party allocating D50M for a single project raises corruption concerns, especially since it’s the ruling party doing so just 10 months before elections,” Suwaneh stated.
He further argued that the move appears to contradict The Gambia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), which the country ratified in 2010. He noted that the convention places strong emphasis on transparency in political party financing and the disclosure of funding sources.
Suwaneh also questioned conflicting explanations regarding the origin of the D50 million, calling for greater clarity and accountability.
“President Barrow’s statement about individuals donating D50 million to NPP, then NPP’s national women mobilizer mentioning a bank providing a loan with a commission paid by Barrow, raises questions. Which bank is providing this loan, and what’s the collateral? Transparency is key,” he asked.
The UDP youth leader additionally called on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to examine the matter, warning that the allocation could amount to electoral inducement.
“The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) should take note: this appears to be a direct inducement, creating an unfair election environment,” Suwaneh concluded.
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