By: Alieu Ceesay
UNITE leader Talib Bensouda on Tuesday declared that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Unity Party marked a powerful statement that political parties can put country before party, uniting around shared principles rather than electoral convenience.
Speaking at the formal signing ceremony alongside NUP leader Lawyer Lamin J. Darboe, Bensouda described the agreement as far more than a political document. “Today is more than the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. It is a declaration that two political parties can come together, not because they agree on everything, but because they agree on the fundamental principles that must guide our Republic,” he said.
Bensouda paid tribute to Darboe’s record as a distinguished lawyer and statesman, highlighting his recent successes in landmark constitutional cases, including the matter involving Ousman Bojang and the successful challenge to the removal of the Auditor General. These victories, he said, reaffirmed that the Constitution must remain supreme, independent institutions must be protected, and no public office should be exercised without accountability.
“These are victories for every Gambian who believes in the rule of law,” Bensouda told the gathering of party members, guests and the media. He stressed that the MoU rests on a shared commitment to constitutional governance, the independence of public institutions, democratic accountability and the dignity of every citizen.
At a time when politics often rewards division, Bensouda said the two parties had chosen dialogue over hostility, cooperation over suspicion and principle over expediency. The partnership, he argued, aims to encourage a new political culture in which leaders disagree with respect, collaborate with integrity and always place the national interest first.
Turning to practical priorities, Bensouda said Gambians are not asking politicians to win arguments but to solve problems. He outlined UNITE’s campaign focus on the “Three Cs” — Cost, Crime and Corruption. The party is fighting the rising cost of living that stretches household incomes, working to ensure safer communities where businesses and families can thrive, and confronting corruption that steals medicines from hospitals, resources from schools and opportunities from young people.
“Everything we propose as a political party must answer these three concerns,” he said. “If the answer is no, then it is not addressing the priorities of the Gambian people.”
Bensouda called for transformational leadership that is bold enough to build new coalitions, humble enough to share responsibility and honest enough to be judged by results. He urged members and supporters of both parties to extend the same trust to one another at community level between now and the December 5 elections and beyond.
Thanking Darboe and the NUP for their good faith and shared vision, Bensouda said the alliance seeks to build a foundation for the Gambia that future generations deserve. He closed by expressing hope that the MoU would be remembered as a demonstration of principled leadership uniting around justice, accountable government and a better future for every Gambian.
