Darboe accuses Gambia government of targeting UDP councils
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Kerr Fatou
Gambian opposition leader Ousainou Darboe accuses the government of targeting UDP-led local councils. He is reacting to a white paper recommending bans from public office and criminal investigations against several officials, according to Kerr Fatou.
The leader of Gambia’s United Democratic Party (UDP), Ousainou Darboe, has accused President Adama Barrow’s government of targeting opposition-led local authorities following the publication of a white paper on the findings of the commission of inquiry into local authorities, according to Kerr Fatou. He made the accusation on Friday at a UDP rally in Lamin, less than 24 hours after the government measures were announced.
The government recommended criminal investigations into suspected embezzlement and barred several local officials from holding public office. Darboe specifically cited council chairmen Danjo and Landing B. Sanneh, Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe and Kanifing Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, the Coalition 2026 candidate in the presidential election on 5 December. He said the timing of the measures was concerning, coming just days before nominations opened, and called for the rules on public accountability to be applied uniformly. He notably referred to 30 million dalasis withdrawn from the Brikama council’s funds under former chairman Sheriffo Sonko, with no comparable judicial consequences, in his view.
The statement came after the publication of the report on the reform of Gambia’s eight local councils, which resulted from the same inquiry into the management of local authorities. It also extends accusations previously made by Talib Bensouda against the Gambian government.
