Former Vice President Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang has withdrawn her candidacy for the December 2026 presidential election, announcing she will instead focus on uniting the opposition ahead of the polls.
Tambajang informed opposition leaders of her decision during a coalition meeting last week. She said her commitment to a better future for Gambians, especially the next generation, outweighs personal ambition.
“My desire to see a better Gambia for the next generation is far greater than any personal ambition. Today, our country needs unity more than it needs individual aspirations. I believe I can best serve The Gambia by helping to build the coalition that our people deserve,” she said.
Drawing on her experience as a key architect of the 2016 coalition that ended Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule, Tambajang will act as mediator and facilitator. She aims to bring opposition parties together, promote dialogue, and keep the process credible, transparent and inclusive.
She urged party leaders to approach talks with humility and openness. “I urge every opposition leader to come to the table with an open ear for conversation and negotiation. No single party can win this election alone. If we enter the December polls divided, we risk placing The Gambia back on the same path that we fought so hard to leave behind just ten years ago,” Tambajang said.
She added that the process requires someone who has done this before. “My responsibility now is not to run for office but to help create the conditions for a united opposition that can restore hope and confidence in our democracy and our people.”
Tambajang stressed that public office is not an entitlement. “No politician should ever believe that public office is their birthright. Power should rotate democratically, and when a government has failed to provide opportunities for its people and protect its citizens, it is the responsibility of the electorate to vote that government out of office.”
She pledged to remain an impartial facilitator, ensuring all stakeholders have a voice while prioritizing Gambians’ interests. As the country heads toward the December elections, she expressed confidence that unity and shared purpose offer the strongest path to democratic renewal.
