Africa-Press – Gambia. United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainu Darboe has said his party offers the Gambian people the best opportunity to end corruption and invest in their future.
He argues that the country is facing systemic collapse under President Adama Barrow’s leadership due to what he described as deep governance failure and unchecked impunity.
Speaking at the UDP Diaspora Convention in Seattle, USA, Darboe described the situation in the country as dire, citing widespread hardship and a government that is, in his words, “overwhelmed by corruption.”
“Our country is facing significant challenges. A very large segment of our population is suffering,” he told party supporters gathered from across the United States, Europe, and The Gambia.
Darboe said the root cause of the problem is a “total and systemic governance failure under Adama Barrow and his NPP/APRC administration,” adding that the misuse of public resources has left hospitals under-equipped, teachers underpaid, and development stalled.
“Corruption has become the system and impunity its partner,” he said, warning that every stolen dalasi deprives citizens of essential services.
The UDP leader said his party is ready to deliver what he called a “real system change,” anchored in its Gambia First Agenda a policy platform focused on cutting wasteful spending, redirecting resources to healthcare, education, and agriculture, and creating an independent anti-corruption commission with zero tolerance for graft.
“Honesty and integrity are not campaign buzzwords. They are the foundation of people-centred governance,” he said.
The Seattle convention was attended by senior party figures, including Minority Leader Alhagie S. Darboe, KMC Mayor Talib Bensouda, MKAC Chairman Landing B. Sanneh, and Women’s Wing Secretary Jonfolo Jabbie. Darboe praised their presence as a sign of party unity and commitment to change.
He urged UDP supporters to resist internal division and focus on the 2026 election, saying the real opponent is the current administration. “Our loyalty is to the struggle for a better Gambia, not to factions or personalities,” he stressed.
Addressing the diaspora directly, Darboe called them “nation builders,” and encouraged them to mobilise support and keep the party’s vision alive abroad. “Go for every vote, everywhere,” he urged.
Darboe ended with a call to action: “The road will not be easy, but together we can, and we will, build the Gambia we deserve.”
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