By Alieu Ceesay
The Unite Movement for Change held its first-ever political rally in the Gambian capital on Thursday evening, staging day-long activities just meters from State House as the country prepares for presidential elections in about 45 days.
The event combined the formal launch of the party’s manifesto with an evening rally to consolidate support ahead of the polls, which will determine who governs The Gambia for the next five years. Party officials used the occasion to highlight what they described as shortcomings of the Adama Barrow administration, particularly its handling of irregular migration and broader governance issues.
Abdoulie Gilleh, Unite’s Banjul chairman, was the first to address the gathering. He emphasized the party’s resolve, declaring that “nothing can threaten us, nothing can shake us here in Banjul.” His remarks came against the backdrop of recent political warnings from President Barrow to Banjul North National Assembly member Abdoulie Bah.
Unite leader and Coalition 2026 presidential candidate Talib Ahmed Bensouda followed, outlining key reforms he would pursue if elected. He pledged to introduce presidential term limits and a new constitution, noting that more than a decade after Barrow promised constitutional reform in 2016, the country continues to operate under laws enacted during the Yahya Jammeh era.
“Since 2016 Adama Barrow promised a new constitution, but up to date the law that Jammeh enacted is the law that Barrow is operating with,” Bensouda told supporters. “For me, the first law I will change is the two-term limit.” He recalled that Barrow had initially sought a three-year transitional presidency before serving a full five-year term, and argued that term limits are no longer even under discussion.
On citizens’ rights, Bensouda affirmed that his administration would fully respect the rights to assembly and peaceful protest. He asserted that Gambians have a constitutional right to stage peaceful demonstrations outside State House without needing a police permit, stressing that the Constitution guarantees freedoms of assembly, association, and expression.
“State House is not Adama Barrow’s house; it’s the house of the Gambian people,” he declared. He criticized remarks Barrow made during his Meet the People Tour in Banjul, in which the president suggested that protesters approaching State House under Jammeh risked being shot. Bensouda characterized the comments as evidence that the current presidency is nearing its end and urged Barrow to step aside before the political climate deteriorates further.
Turning to the economy and sovereignty, Bensouda promised that under his leadership, all office furniture would be manufactured locally rather than imported, a empower Gambian businesses and workers. He also pledged to place national security firmly in the hands of the country’s own security forces, criticizing what he called foreign involvement in sensitive areas of governance and security under the current administration. If elected, he said, his personal protection would be provided by Gambian soldiers.
The Unite Movement plans to take its manifesto nationwide, translating it into several local languages to ensure broader public understanding. Bensouda further claimed that President Barrow traveled to Makamang Kunda after learning that the Coalition 2026 rally was taking place in Banjul.
With elections approaching, the rally marked Unite’s most visible effort yet to present itself as a credible alternative focused on constitutional change, economic localization, and restored national control over security.
