By Ebrima Mbaye
The United Democratic Party (UDP) held its Fourth Solo Sandeng and April 2016 Martyrs Memorial Lecture on Sunday, a poignant tribute to the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives for electoral reforms in The Gambia. The event, marked by heartfelt testimonies and impassioned calls for continued national reform, underscored the enduring legacy of Solo Sandeng and the martyrs of April 2016.
Falang Sonko, a survivor of the April 14, 2016, protest, delivered an emotional account of the physical and psychological toll of that day. “When April 14 arrives, only Allah knows the way my body reacts. But I thank God. Let us pray for the deceased so that Allah can be pleased with them,” Sonko said.
Reflecting on the protest’s aim to secure electoral reforms, he told his son a chilling warning from a National Intelligence Agency (NIA) officer: “Your dad is so stubborn, but if he enters the NIA, he will not come out.” Sonko expressed dismay at the betrayal of Sandeng’s ideals, urging Gambians to recommit to reforms before the 2026 elections.
“At times, I don’t sleep at night thinking of the betrayal he received. We came out on the streets for the future of The Gambia — is that future achieved?” he asked.
Madam Nyima Sonko Sandeng, widow of Solo Sandeng, represented the Sandeng family and expressed gratitude for recognizing her husband’s sacrifice. “Solo’s decision to go out on the streets was not about personal interest but about the Gambian people. His dream is yet to be fully realized, but we continue to pray for the strength to reach that time,” she said, her words resonating with the audience’s shared sense of purpose.
UDP Secretary General and Party Leader ANM Ousainou Darboe framed the memorial as a bridge between past sacrifices and future aspirations.
“Today, we don’t gather merely to remember a name; we come together to commit ourselves to a cause — a cause that once burnt like a fire in the chest of a man called Ebrima Solo Sandeng and which now glows in the hearts of all who dare to believe in the dignity of the Gambian people,” Darboe declared. He lauded Sandeng’s courage, noting that “when Solo stepped forward on that fateful morning, he lifted the aspirations of a nation silenced by tyranny — a fire that no oppression could extinguish.”
The keynote lecture, delivered by Ms. Nenneh M.C. Cham, President of the Gambia Bar Association, focused on the theme “Building Capable State Institutions Through the Rule of Law and Respect for Human Rights.”
Lawyer Cham hailed Sandeng as a courageous figure who died championing electoral reforms and the national interest. She criticized The Gambia’s outdated electoral laws and emphasized that the right to peaceful protest must not be unduly restricted.
“The powers vested in the Inspector General of Police must be exercised judiciously,” Cham asserted, adding, “The Gambia must never again witness the horrors of April 14 and 16, 2016.”
Cham highlighted pressing national challenges, including corruption, lack of transparency, inefficiency, and reform resistance. She called for collective action to ensure state institutions uphold democratic values and function effectively, stressing that such efforts are essential to honor the sacrifices of Sandeng and others.
The memorial lecture was a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made for The Gambia’s democracy and a rallying cry for sustained reforms. As the nation approaches the 2026 elections, the UDP and attendees reaffirmed their commitment to realizing the vision of a just and democratic Gambia, ensuring that the legacy of Solo Sandeng and the April 2016 martyrs endures.
