The former Vice President, Dr. Isatou Touray, has formally announced her candidacy as an Independent Presidential Candidate for the 2026 election. The announcement makes her the second female former vice president to declare her intent to run, following Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang.
A statement released today confirms that Dr. Touray will officially launch her campaign at the SSP Grounds in Brikama, West Coast Region, on Thursday, 25 June 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Dr. Touray, a veteran politician, gender rights advocate, and social reformer, brings decades of experience and a storied legacy of activism to the race. Widely respected for her tireless campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM), she co-founded the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices (GAMCOTRAP) in 1984. As its Executive Director, she played a pivotal role in the 1998 Banjul Declaration, where religious leaders and medical professionals united to condemn the practice. Her expertise in grassroots mobilization and sexual and reproductive health has earned her international acclaim.
Academically accomplished, Dr. Touray holds a PhD in Development Studies (Gender and Development) from the University of Sussex, a Master’s in Women and Development from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, and a BA (Hons) in Education from Usman Danfodio University in Nigeria. At the Management Development Institute (MDI) from 1990 to 2005, she established the Gender and Development program, which continues to influence higher education in The Gambia.
Her political journey is marked by courage in the face of adversity. Forced to leave MDI in 2005 due to harassment by the Yahya Jammeh regime, she intensified her civil society work. She later became among the architects of the 2016 opposition Coalition that ended Jammeh’s 22-year rule, initially running as the country’s first female independent presidential candidate before stepping aside for unity. She subsequently served as Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment (2017), Minister of Health and Social Welfare (2018), and Vice President from 2019 until May 2022.
Dr. Touray’s decision to run independently reflects her long-standing commitment to human rights, gender equality, and social justice.
In her own words: “I owe it to myself to fight for the rights of women, girls, the youth, and society in general… to bring about peace and progressive change in the country.”
After government service, she continued global advocacy as Interim Executive Director of UNITING, supporting efforts against Neglected Tropical Diseases. Supporters view her as a unifying figure capable of advancing democracy, good governance, and women’s empowerment in The Gambia.
With two prominent female former vice presidents now in the fray, the 2026 election promises to be historic.
