By Kemo Kanyi
United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainou Darboe Friday accused President Adama Barrow of failing to combat corruption, alleging that the head of state benefits from corrupt practices within government.
Addressing a large political rally at Buffer Zone in Kanifing Municipality, Darboe said President Barrow has consistently avoided speaking about corruption during his nationwide “Mee-the-People-Tour,” despite what he described as its damaging impact on the country’s economy.
“Corruption is the cancer killing this country,” Darboe told supporters. “The President has travelled the length and breadth of this country, but there has never been a time when he clearly spoke about his government’s firm stance against corruption. He will not do so because he lives by corruption,” he alleged.
The UDP secretary-general further claimed that the Barrow administration was deeply entrenched in corrupt practices, arguing that this explained the President’s reluctance to publicly commit to fighting corruption.
Darboe urged Gambians to reject what he described as a corrupt government, insisting that the country needed a more responsive administration that prioritizes the welfare of its citizens.
He renewed his call on voters to give the UDP a mandate to govern, promising that a UDP-led government would prioritize the fight against dishonesty, deception and financial maladministration across all government institutions.