By Haddy Touray

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has warned that presidential candidates in The Gambia’s 2026 election could have only 17 to 18 days to campaign, a compressed period that could create logistical challenges for political parties and election officials.

IEC Chairman Joseph Colley said the exact campaign period would depend on the final electoral timetable, but acknowledged that coordinating nationwide campaigns within such a short period could prove difficult, particularly if a large number of candidates contest the election.

“If we have five or six candidates crisscrossing The Gambia in 17 days, or even 10 candidates, how are we going to manage with the crisscrossing?” Colley asked in an interview with West Coast Radio.

He noted that candidates traditionally travel extensively during the campaign period, holding rallies and meetings across the country, with movements between the North Bank, South Bank and Greater Banjul Area likely to create additional logistical pressures.

Colley said the IEC had begun preparing an operational plan to manage the election within the available timeframe.

He said the commission had also prepared a nomination schedule that would be made public, while preparations were underway for the procurement of essential electoral materials, including indelible ink and security seals.

“We already have an operational plan; we have a nomination schedule that will be made public,” he said.

The IEC chairman said the commission was working with relevant institutions and stakeholders to identify and address potential logistical and legal challenges ahead of the election.