President Adama Barrow
By Buba Gagigo
President Adama Barrow, during a meeting with elders in the Lower River Region (LRR), voiced his concerns about what he described as persistent opposition from the Mandinka community toward successive Gambian presidents, including former leaders Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, Yahya Jammeh, and himself.
Barrow addressed the gathered elders, emphasizing that his government’s development projects are not influenced by political support or opposition.
“We don’t decide where to implement development projects based on support or opposition. In fact, some of our supporters were upset because we extended help to areas where we didn’t receive support. We’ve constructed almost 86 kilometers of road, which is a significant stretch. I traveled on that road yesterday, and it felt like paradise compared to the challenges I used to face there. Despite this, some people continue to oppose me.
When others advised against taking phase two of the project to that area, I stood firm. I told them that the work had already begun and wouldn’t be relocated. Let them oppose me; I’ll keep doing the work because that road isn’t just for one group—it serves all Gambians. However, can this kind of opposition continue indefinitely? It cannot. During the 2021 elections, I lost in all the Mandinka villages in LRR. Not a single polling station in Mandinka village in LRR voted in my favor, and I believe it was deliberate,” Barrow explained.
Barrow also took aim at United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe, questioning his influence within the Mandinka community.
“I am a Mandinka. Ousainou Darboe is urging you to support your relatives. He hails from Bansang, while I come from Mankamang Kunda. So, who is your relative between the two of us? I lost in all the Mandinka villages across the entire LRR—all the polling stations. But can we, as Mandinkas, continue to oppose Jawara, Yahya Jammeh, and Adama Barrow? Are we going to keep this up? These are things we need to reflect on. It won’t benefit us or take us anywhere. However, I am pleased that you all have come together for us to collaborate. We are ready to work,” President Barrow remarked.
The president urged the people of LRR to reconsider their support for Darboe, highlighting the UDP leader’s lack of success in his hometown.
“I’m pleading with you, Mandinkas, let’s be patient. The Ousainou Darboe you are supporting doesn’t even win in Bansang, his hometown. If you want to understand someone’s character, you should ask their relatives or neighbors. He doesn’t win there, and there’s a reason for that. Do you know him better than they do? You can’t possibly know him better than they do. They don’t vote for him because they know him well. I, on the other hand, win even at his own polling station in pipeline, the very place where he voted, surrounded by his neighbors. So why didn’t they vote for him? It’s because they know him. You don’t know him, and that’s why you support him. However, I will sit with my Minister to discuss all your concerns, and as a pledge to you, I will deliver the 2km road.”