United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe has called on President Adama Barrow to dismiss his political adviser, Saihou Mballow, over comments he described as tribalist and harmful to national unity.
Speaking in an interview on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez on West Coast Radio, Darboe said Mballow’s recent remarks, which categorised officers by their tribal affiliation, were “wrong” and risk fueling instability.
“The president, Adama Barrow, should fire Mballow from his position and get in someone who will not project him as a tribalist or undermine his role as a unifier,” Darboe said.
Mballow has since issued an apology, but the UDP leader dismissed it as “half-hearted” and inadequate to repair the damage. “If I were in President Barrow’s position, I would have fired Mballow and replaced him with someone who would not present him as a tribalist,” he added.
Darboe criticised President Barrow for failing to immediately address the comments, saying the president missed an opportunity to reassure Gambians and denounce divisive rhetoric.
He also urged Barrow to engage more with the public beyond the annual State of the Nation address. “Gambians expect to hear from their president as significant issues arise,” he said.
The veteran politician warned against the growing influence of tribalism in Gambian politics, particularly within the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), and called on citizens to uphold unity.
“Unfortunately, tribalism is happening in this country and in its politics, and it’s not good for Gambians. We should make it our duty not to be agents of polarisation,” Darboe said, invoking the national anthem’s call to “join our diverse peoples to prove man’s brotherhood.”
