The party Leader and Secretary General of The United Democratic Party, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe
By Fatou Sillah
Lawyer Ousainu Darboe, Leader and Secretary General of the United Democratic Party (UDP) speaking at the party’s Non-Elective Congress in Banjul, asserted that many Gambians believe the Barrow government is more focused on personal gains than addressing the basic needs of the population.
Darboe made these remarks as he reflected on his recent nationwide tour and his discussions with citizens across the country.
“Since our inception in 1996, we have toured the entire country countless times but I have never in my life countered the level of worry and concern in people as I have witnessed in this tour. Parents, Students, farmers, Men, and Women all express their hopelessness and we see little or no prospects for themselves in their own country. They are angry, frustrated, and deeply resentful of a government, they have rightly concluded has abandoned them and their priorities.” He stated.
He further noted that citizens have expressed dismay over the misuse of the limited resources the government mobilizes through taxes, loans, and external aid. Darboe criticized the administration for its focus on lavish spending, including the purchase of luxury vehicles and travel, while essential public needs remain unmet.
“They lament how the limited resources the government mobilizes by taxing them, borrowing, and begging in their names are being wasted, leaving them with debt. The poorest of citizens have been abandoned to a cruel faith by the Barrow administration, that prioritize the purchase of expensive and luxury vehicles, travel, and other things for itself over the basic needs of the citizens,” he said.
Darboe also highlighted the growing corruption within the Barrow government, which he claimed has resulted in insufficient resources for key sectors, particularly agriculture.
“An administration that is neck deep in corruption and has very little in resources for the farmers who are left to scrounge on their own. Drugs and overall criminal activities are threatening to overwhelm our once peaceful society because the Barrow administration is not paying sufficient attention to this grave national security concern. All this is emblematic of a leadership that has lost its sense of purpose and duty to its people,” he said.
Despite the grim outlook, Darboe was encouraged by what he described as the unwavering hope and trust expressed by the people in the UDP’s vision for the country.
“While the people we encountered during the tour expressed a real concern I was both humbled and inspired by the hope and trust they have in our party and the progressive and hopeful agenda we represent. In our proposed programs, they see a genuine commitment to their priorities and our roster of capable, honest, and vetted individuals, ready to serve them on day one, and my message in every encounter was to tell them UDP understands their pain, their fears, and urgent needs and with their support we can all join hands and build a Gambia we can all be proud of,” he said.