Africa-Press – Gambia. Ebrima Nyang, Administrative Secretary of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), has criticized President Adama Barrow’s ongoing Meet the People Tour, accusing the government of turning a constitutional engagement exercise into a politically divisive event.
Nyang said the tour, originally intended to allow the president to interact directly with citizens and address their concerns, has strayed from its constitutional purpose and now serves partisan interests.
“This tour no longer serves its purpose as it continues to divide us as a nation rather than to unite us as a country. The purpose of this tour has been defeated for a very long time, and people who should be speaking about their problems are the very ones begging and praising the president for development,” Nyang stated.
The GDC official further alleged that in recent years, the tour has effectively become the “NPP and Allies Tour,” dominated by supporters and sympathizers of the ruling National People’s Party. “The tour, which is constitutional, has been turned into attacks, caricaturing and insulting opposition leaders over the years,” he said.
Nyang also questioned the cost and impact of the annual tour, saying it consumes millions of dalasis while offering little benefit to ordinary Gambians. He accused the National Assembly of failing in its oversight duties and allowing the president unchecked influence.
“The National Assembly has failed the nation, and almost everything is made easy for Barrow to get what he wants in this country. The state will be paralyzed as the allowance hunters will all abandon their offices to join the president,” he claimed.
He added, “We, the opposition, are all gearing up for the Meet People Tour, alias the NPP and Allies Tour, to do what they are always good at. They will attack our leaders, caricature them, and wrap up the tour with zero positive impact,” he said.
According to Nyang, the event will further strain the country’s struggling economy, noting that government resources are being diverted from essential services to support what he described as a political campaign ahead of the 2026 elections.
“But it is sad that this tour will paralyze some government institutions as their vehicles are already taken from them to join the campaign trail for Barrow’s 2026 reelection,” he said.
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