Africa-Press – Gambia. The atmosphere surrounding President Adama Barrow’s “Meet the People” tour is not conducive for opposition National Assembly members to attend, two political commentators said Tuesday.
Demba Ali Jawo, a journalist and former Minister of Information, and Biran Gai, a political analyst and lecturer at the University of the Gambia, made the remarks during an appearance on the “Politic Kacha” program. Their comments followed President Barrow’s recent statement at a Busumbala meeting, in which he said that lawmakers responsible for constitutional matters should have been present to discuss the challenges faced by citizens.
Jawo said that while it would be appropriate for lawmakers to participate in the tour meetings, the political climate surrounding the events has made their presence unlikely. “The unfortunate thing is that the atmosphere is not being created for them to be present, as the tour is politicized,” he said.
Gai questioned why opposition members would attend when their party leaders are publicly criticized by the president. “Would you go and listen to your political godfather being criticized by the head of state? You would not want to listen to it,” he said.
Gai further argued that the tour was likely designed with a dual purpose: promoting government initiatives while framing opposition figures as targets ahead of the 2026 presidential elections. “Expect more inflammatory statements moving forward because this is a climate that has already created confusion,” he said.
He added that the confrontational approach is not unique to the current administration. Political parties across the country, he noted, often focus on personal attacks rather than substantive policy debates, contributing to what he described as a dysfunctional political environment.
“Instead of them focusing on what is viable in terms of politicking based on issues, it will be rather based on personal attacks,” Gai said.
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