Saikou Camara, Author and a member of the UDP Diaspora
By Saikou Camara
What I’m about to say may not sit well with everyone in the UDP, and I expect some disagreement. That’s okay — our party values democracy. If I misspoke, please blame it on my poor delivery and not my heart, it’s not my intent; I care deeply about the UDP and would be doing it a disservice by staying silent. It’s troubling to see some members on social media positioning themselves as the true sons and daughters of the party, labeling anyone who disagrees with them as an enemy with an “hidden agenda”. This behavior alienates and antagonizes a significant portion of Gambian voters.
Before I continue, let me clarify that I speak from an informed perspective. I spent 14 months in The Gambia, from October 2020 to December 2021, fully engaged in the party’s activities. I was there from the launch of the 2021 campaign in Sanyang (Oct 2020) to the final campaign speech in Bakoteh (Dec. 2nd, 2021). I campaigned tirelessly across the country, invested my resources, and stood by the party leadership when it became clear we were losing the 2021 election. I witnessed firsthand the pain and disappointment among our members and executives, and I will never forget the anguish in the eyes of the late Aunty Tuku Jallow. May her soul rest in peace.
We must learn from our mistakes, or risk a similar fate in 2026.
Do I believe there were significant malpractices and irregularities in the 2021 elections? Absolutely. But that’s not the only reason we lost. We can’t just blame election theft, non-Gambian voters, cross-border fraud, or ethnic bias against us. If we cling to these narratives without self-reflection, we’ll remain stuck in denial and self pity.
Forgive my bluntness, but I’m frustrated. We seem unwilling to learn and deaf to the cries of Gambians who seek our attention. It’s vital for any political party to regularly reassess whether their self-perception aligns with how the voters actually see them.
I firmly believe the UDP can secure 250,000 votes from our loyal supporters alone. We have one of the most steadfast bases in Gambian history, but relying solely on our base won’t win national elections, especially with about 900,000 registered voters nationwide. This was evident in the low voter turnouts in parliamentary and local elections, where we surprisingly succeeded despite our major defeat in the presidential election.
We can’t afford to ignore the opinions and concerns of all Gambians, regardless of their party affiliation. If you believe the UDP should only listen to its members, or worse, only to those who share your views, you’re not serving the party—you’re serving your own ego. We must respectfully consider all opinions, even if we disagree with them.
I’m concerned that our party has been so focused on communicating within our loyal base that we’ve lost touch with the broader sentiments of the country. Our messaging isn’t resonating nationally. We need to engage with independent and “silent” voters, and even our contemporaries in other parties, understand their concerns, and reassure them about our party’s vision for The Gambia, to persuade them to join our party, or at least give us their votes.
This is a collective responsibility for all UDP members. And we must do this with discipline and tolerance.
We must stay united because the challenges ahead require us to stand together. Being in opposition is hard, especially for the UDP.
Let’s talk about UNITY:
There’s a misconception within our party about the difference between unity and uniformity.
Uniformity: means doing the same things, in the same way, at the same time. This is for military organizations, not democratic institutions.
Unity: means doing the right things in different ways for the same cause. That’s what I expect from all of us.
We don’t all need to agree on who should be our flag bearer in 2026 to be united, as long as our goal is the same: presenting the best candidate to lead the party and The Gambia. Once the right processes are followed and exhausted, we must all support whoever emerges as our leader. Until then, we can have our individual preferences and even campaign for them, and that’s okay.
As I always say, we have a country to build.
God bless The Gambia 🇬🇲 , and God bless the UDP 💛.
Wasalam!