A proposal by National Assembly Member Almameh Gibba of Foni Kansala to lower the president’s yearly “Meet the People” tour budget from 50 million Dalasi to 35 million Dalasi was rejected by lawmakers on Monday. They claimed the changes were unrealistic and out of pace with current expenditure trends.
Mr. Gibba encouraged colleagues to reallocate a portion of the tour’s budget line, which is officially labeled as “Presidential Visit to the Provinces,” to key areas including infrastructure, health, and education during the committee of supply’s review of the 2026 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure.
“By looking at the budget line that I have before me, it is just from January to October; the actual is about 32 million, so I believe reducing it to 35 million will do the needful, because we have salient budget lines that are of national interest that I think we could use the 15 million to put it there—education, education, health, infrastructure. This is my justification,” Mr. Gibba said.
However, a number of parliamentarians contended that the proposed cut disregarded the historical budgetary reality and the tour’s constitutional duty.
Speaker Fabakary Tombong Jatta reminded members that the annual nationwide outreach is not optional. “The meet the people’s tour is a constitutional requirement mandated on the president to go and listen to the Gambian people and tell them his policies; this requirement is as important as any other that we may cite,” he said.
Mr. Gibba’s plan was contested by Hon. Abdoulie Mbowe, who noted that actual tour expenses had beyond the allotted sums in prior years and implied that further reductions would impede the exercise.
According to the final count, one member abstained, 14 lawmakers backed Mr. Gibba’s suggested cut, and 22 lawmakers decided to keep the entire 50 million Dalasi budget.
