President Adama Barrow has urged Gambians to give his administration another term, arguing that the December 5 presidential election will determine whether the country continues on its current development path or starts afresh under new leadership.
Barrow delivered the message during his annual Meet-the-People Tour, which began on October 1 and has taken him to communities across the country.
Addressing residents of Bakadaji in the Upper River Region, the president presented the election as a choice between maintaining his government’s policies and changing direction. He encouraged voters who want existing projects to continue to support his re-election bid.
“The election is about two things: continuity or starting afresh, going forward or backward,” Barrow said.
He told residents that those who favoured continuity should vote for him, while voters seeking a different approach were free to support another candidate.
The president linked his appeal to development projects, particularly electricity supply and road construction, which remain important concerns for many rural communities.
Barrow said the government had identified communities that were still without electricity and claimed preparations were already underway to extend the service to them.
“We have already studied all communities that are yet to be connected to electricity,” he said. “The projects have been tendered, contractors secured, and work is about to start. You will see work equipment on the ground before the election.”
He also urged voters to look beyond campaign promises from his political opponents, arguing that his administration should be judged by the projects it had undertaken and its record in government.
Using a food analogy to make his point, Barrow suggested that voters had reason to trust someone who had already provided “breakfast and lunch” when promising to provide “dinner”.
The president further defended the quality of infrastructure built under his administration, saying bridges constructed during his tenure were designed to serve future generations.
“Anything you want from this government, you can get it,” he said. “I know that you cannot be fooled and cannot be bought.”
Barrow repeated the continuity message during a subsequent stop in Jawo Kunda, also in the Upper River Region, where he again urged residents who believe the country is progressing under his leadership to support his bid for another term.
The Meet-the-People Tour provides the president with an opportunity to visit communities, hear residents’ concerns and assess local development needs. However, with the December election approaching, Barrow’s repeated calls for continuity have also placed his administration’s record and unfinished projects at the centre of his campaign message.
Whether voters accept his argument will depend in part on how they assess the government’s delivery on electricity, roads and other development commitments, alongside the alternatives presented by rival candidates.
