The United Democratic Party (UDP) has questioned whether political parties are being given equal access to the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre after its latest request to use the facility was turned down.
The opposition party had sought to hold its 30th anniversary conference at the venue on August 21 and 22, 2026, with about 300 participants expected to attend.
However, in a letter dated August 10, the management of Banjul International Convention Centre Ltd. informed the UDP that the Plenary Hall was unavailable because of a technical problem discovered following an event held at the facility on August 7.
According to the letter, the problem was undergoing technical assessment and corrective work. Management also said the Centre’s Thematic Rooms, which could normally be combined to accommodate a gathering of that size, would not be available on the requested dates.
The UDP has challenged the circumstances surrounding the rejection, saying it follows an earlier unsuccessful attempt to secure the Conference Centre for a national retreat in February.
The party said it was verbally informed at the time that the facility was no longer being rented to political parties for political activities.
It said questions subsequently arose over the application of that policy after the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) was permitted to use the same venue for its manifesto launch.
The UDP argues that the different circumstances surrounding the bookings raise concerns about whether political organisations are being treated on an equal basis, particularly as campaigning intensifies ahead of the 2026 presidential election.
Similar concerns have also emerged involving the UNITE Party.
When UNITE attempted to book the Conference Centre for its manifesto launch, the party received an email from Ramatoulie Jallow, an Event and Conference Officer at the facility, stating that the request could not be accommodated because of technical constraints.
“We appreciate your interest in hosting your event at our venue. Due to technical constraints, we are unable to accommodate your booking request on this occasion,” the email stated.
The rejection of requests from two opposition parties, alongside the NPP’s reported use of the venue, has brought renewed scrutiny to how access to the facility is determined.
For the UDP, the dispute is not merely about securing a venue for a party event but about the wider principle of equal political opportunity.
“A genuinely level electoral playing field also requires political parties to have equitable access to public spaces, public information, and media platforms through which they can communicate their policies and programmes to the electorate,” the party said.
The UDP also raised concerns about opposition access to state media, including the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), arguing that equal access to public platforms is an important part of ensuring fair political competition.
It called on the Independent Electoral Commission, civil society organisations, media institutions and other relevant authorities to closely monitor the treatment of political parties in the run-up to the presidential election.
The Conference Centre’s August 10 correspondence cites technical problems as the reason the UDP’s latest booking could not be accommodated. However, the letter does not address the party’s claim that it was previously told the facility was no longer available for political activities.
It also does not clarify the circumstances under which the NPP was subsequently able to use the venue for its manifesto launch.
Those unanswered questions are likely to keep the issue of equal access to public facilities under scrutiny as political parties prepare for the December presidential contest.
