Coalition 2026, led by Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, has unveiled its election manifesto, promising sweeping reforms in the cost of living, national security, governance and healthcare if elected in the December 5 presidential election.
The manifesto was launched on Thursday at the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul, outlining a series of policy proposals and time-bound commitments aimed at addressing some of the country’s major economic and institutional challenges.
On the economy, the coalition pledged to declare the rising cost of living a national emergency and introduce an Emergency Cost of Living Programme to reduce the prices of essential food commodities, public transportation and electricity within its first 12 months in office.
It also proposed establishing a dedicated task force to set price-reduction targets and monitor the monthly cost of basic household necessities.
Other economic measures include the introduction of a sector-based minimum wage framework, initially targeting government employees, and the imposition of tariffs on selected imported food products where domestic production capacity is sufficient.
Coalition 2026 pledged a Gambians-first public procurement policy to support local businesses and one that would give preference to eligible Gambian-owned businesses in government contracts. It also suggested the setting up of a National Development Bank to provide long term financing for manufacturing, agro-processing, fisheries and infrastructure.
On national security, the coalition pledged to complete key security sector reforms and enable Gambian security forces to assume full responsibility for the country’s security within two years, ending reliance on troops from the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG).
It also promised minimum police deployment standards in rapidly expanding urban communities and a comprehensive strategy to tackle serious crimes and homicides within its first year.
The manifesto further proposes deploying trained welfare officers to every police station to handle cases involving women, children and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
In a major criminal justice proposal, the coalition pledged to introduce the death penalty for capital cases within six months of taking office, subject to the exhaustion of all appeals and tough safeguards against wrongful convictions.
In governance, Coalition 2026 promised to separate the positions of Attorney General and Minister of Justice and to establish an independent constitutional office of Attorney General to protect the public interest and defend the Constitution.
The coalition also planned to update the armed forces with transparent promotion procedures, improved professional training and the supply of appropriate operational equipment and vehicles. Other pledges include better housing, medical care and family welfare assistance for security forces.
The manifesto also puts a lot of emphasis on healthcare, with the coalition promising to increase health expenditure to at least 15 per cent of the national budget within three years, in line with the Abuja Declaration.
It also promised a workforce development and welfare program for health care workers and plans to decentralize primary health care services to improve access in underserved communities.
A broad program of economic, security and institutional reforms is set out in the manifesto with targets to be delivered over six months to three years. But delivering on the proposals would depend on the coalition’s win in the December election and acquiring the financial and institutional resources to deliver on its commitments.
