In a bold and impassioned declaration that has stirred political discourse in The Gambia, Dr. Mariama Khan, a prominent Gambian scholar, filmmaker, poet, and cultural activist based in New York, announced her intention to contest the 2026 presidential election. The announcement, made in a detailed public statement released on Christmas Day, positions Khan as a potential independent challenger focused on healing what she describes as a deepening “social collapse” rooted in the erosion of family structures and traditional values.
Khan, born in 1977, is currently a faculty member at Lehman College of the City University of New York, where she teaches courses on African civilization and Women in African Society. Her background blends academic rigor with cultural advocacy; she has authored poetry collections, co-written works on Senegambian proverbs, and produced documentaries exploring West African heritage. Previously, she served in high-level roles in the Gambian government, including a brief stint as secretary-general of the civil service under former President Yahya Jammeh in 2010. Now returning to the political arena from the diaspora, Khan frames her candidacy as a moral imperative to safeguard the nation’s social fabric.
“The Gambia has a serious problem; a family one,” Khan stated in her announcement. “If there are many people bent on destroying families, there should be many more people committed to preserving them. This is why I will stand for President in the 2026 presidential elections.”
At the heart of her platform is “Marall Kendoe,” a movement she describes as a call for unity among Gambians committed to rebuilding the nation. Khan presents it as a “simple message and a practical plan” to restore ethical leadership, family cohesion, and social trust. She argues that the greatness of any nation depends on strong, cohesive families, warning that The Gambia risks “complete social collapse” akin to that of countries that descended into civil war.
Khan’s statement paints a stark picture of contemporary Gambian society, accusing unnamed forces of deliberately manipulating family relations, friendships, and neighborly ties to corrupt moral codes and sustain power through betrayal and blackmail. “They insert betrayal, perfidy, and backstabbing in family, friendship, neighborliness, and other social ties,” she wrote. “They cultivate lies, spread baseless smear campaigns, instigate false panic, and coerce individuals to engage in perfidious acts of injustice, betrayal, and corruption.”
She alleges a decade-long normalization of betrayal, where parents, children, friends, and neighbors are incentivized to turn against one another for personal gain, turning relationships “transactional” and eroding human decency. “You are affected. I am affected. Every other Gambian is affected,” Khan emphasized, noting that no family has been spared this destabilization.
Her vision calls for urgent action: reeducating the nation, rescuing families, preserving eroding heritage, and instilling pride in the country and honesty among youth. Khan stresses a “mind-set change before a system change,” arguing that undesirable systems stem from flawed human conduct. She invites Gambians who “sincerely love The Gambia” to join the “Marall Kendoe wagon,” promising to announce the collaboration frameworks soon.
This announcement comes as The Gambia prepares for its presidential election on December 5, 2026, as confirmed by the Independent Electoral Commission. Incumbent President Adama Barrow is seeking a third term amid criticism over term limits and opposition fragmentation. Prominent opposition figures include Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP), while other potential candidates have emerged from smaller parties and independent circles.
Khan’s entry injects a unique voice into the race—one rooted in cultural preservation and diaspora perspective rather than traditional party machinery. As a woman with scholarly credentials and past government experience, she could appeal to voters concerned with social issues, youth, and moral renewal. However, challenges abound: building a national campaign from abroad, securing funding, and navigating The Gambia’s marble-based voting system in a field dominated by established politicians.
Political analysts note that diaspora Gambians have increasingly influenced homeland politics, but few have successfully translated announcements into viable candidacies. Khan’s emphasis on family and heritage resonates with longstanding Gambian values of community and trust, potentially differentiating her in a contest often focused on economic development and infrastructure.
The coming months will reveal if Dr. Khan’s call to “rescue The Gambia” gains traction among a populace navigating post-Jammeh democracy, economic pressures, and calls for unity.
