As long as the partnership is in line with the party’s goals and values, Mama Kandeh, the leader and secretary general of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC), has said his party is open to partnering with any party in the nation, including the ruling National People’s Party (NPP).
He stated that the GDC is open to creating an alliance with any party, including the ruling party. “There is no reason why we shouldn’t move forward with the alliance if we find it to be beneficial and meaningful.”
Kandeh also disclosed that he has already started having conversations with various political parties in an effort to establish possible alliances. He stated that certain political parties have also contacted him for the same reason. “I am reaching out to political parties to explore the possibility of working together,” he said.
Kandeh refused to reveal the identities of these parties when asked, claiming that the negotiations are still in their early stages. He insisted, nevertheless, that the conversations had been fruitful thus far.
“Some people are approaching me in the same way that I’m approaching them. He clarified that this is how politics operates: via discussion and involvement. We are all Gambians at the end of the day. A united, peaceful, and developed country is what we desire.
Kandeh stated that the GDC is already creating a strategic work plan in anticipation of the 2026 presidential election.
He said, “We are getting ready for 2026—figuring out how to reach out to the voters, how to hear their issues, and how to persuade them of our vision.”
In response to speculation on his personal political aspirations and reports of a possible alliance with the NPP, Kandeh denied that he had been asked for or promised an appointment.
“People claim that Barrow would appoint me as foreign minister or vice president, but it is simply rhetoric. I’ve never asked President Barrow for a job, and he’s never told me he’s offering me one,” he claimed.
Kandeh also defended his desire to talk to the president against criticism, arguing that political discourse shouldn’t be demonized.
He posed a rhetorical question, “Is it illegal to speak with Barrow?” “A lot of the people who now oppose me were formerly in his coalition. Why is it a concern now but acceptable back then?
He refused to specify whose people or parties he was talking to, instead making reference to the coalition that elected Barrow in 2016.
Kandeh was clear about his interactions with the president. “I would answer if Barrow contacted me tomorrow. And I’ll get in touch if I want to talk to him. I have no qualms about standing in front of the Gambian people and stating my actual intentions.
He made it apparent that hatred is not the motivation behind his political involvement.
“I have no issues with any of the political parties or politicians in our nation. All I want is for the Gambia to be together. I voice my opinions in politics because it’s vital, not because I’m hateful or malicious,” he remarked.
Kandeh continued by outlining his history of friendship with President Barrow. “We’re from the same area, only two kilometers apart,” he said. We are linked by politics, so I don’t have a personal problem with him,” he said.
In his closing remarks, he reaffirmed the GDC’s democratic orientation, claiming that all significant decisions are made collaboratively. In the GDC, democracy exists. Since 2016, I have never taken a stand alone. He underlined, “Everything is brought before the executive committee for discussion.”
