Lawyer Ousainou Darboe has accused President Adama Barrow’s administration of lacking financial prudence, claiming that a whopping D30 billion has disappeared from the national coffers under Barrow’s watch, diverting the funds from vital sectors.
Addressing multitudes of supporters that converged at his Pipeline residence on Saturday to welcome him home from Europe, the UDP leader described the Barrow administration as “fiscally-foolish”, suggesting the sacking of UDP official and former lands minister late Lamin Ndambou Dibba was linked to his firm stance against corrupt practices in the land sector at the time.
Meanwhile, Darboe has reiterated his call on President Barrow to return the piece of land allocated to him by the government. Darboe has vowed in earlier public engagements that the land, set aside as residence for chief justices and “wrongful allocated”, would be forfeited to the State “when UDP takes over” the reins of power.
In his speech to crowds of excited supporters, Hon. Darboe outlined a comprehensive vision for transformation, echoing the desires of Gambians both at home and in the diaspora, and urged supporters to mobilize for the 2026 presidential election.
The UDP leader highlighted the core issues that Gambians at home and in the diaspora are demanding fixes to such as the under-funded and struggling healthcare, education and agriculture sectors as well as costly internet data and electricity fees. At a time when the financial burden of healthcare has become unbearable for many Gambians and the health system showing many fissures, Darboe pointed out that when government officials and their family members fall ill, they fly to the West to seek better medical care.
He argued that only the UDP has the capacity to deliver the sweeping transformation that the nation yearns for in these critical sectors.
The UDP leader urged every member of his party to go out and bring in at least a single new person to the party’s fold to “effect change in the 2026 polls”.
Hon. Darboe seized the moment to express “profound” gratitude to the Gambian diaspora for their “praise-worthy” contributions to the UDP’s recent fundraising effort.
He also informed the gathering that he has secured scholarship packages for Gambians, emphasizing that these opportunities are available to citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations.
The event was tinged with sorrow as Darboe sought prayers for Njimbi Ceesay, a committed UDP member, who tragically died in a car accident while on her way to witness his arrival.
The UDP flagbearer described Njimbi Ceesay as a dedicated member and a key figure in the party’s youth wing.
The 2026 presidential election is widely anticipated to be a pivotal contest for the Gambia’s political future. The UDP leader’s address signals the beginning of an aggressive campaign focused on transparency, public sector reform, and national development.
