By Fatou Krubally
Gambian-American businesswoman and philanthropist, Marie Sock Jabbie has announced her intention to contest The Gambia’s 2026 presidential election as an independent candidate, with the backing of the Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD), a political movement she founded.
In a profile outlining her political ambitions, Sock Jabbie said her candidacy would offer an alternative to the country’s established party system and called for the creation of what she described as an independent government.
She said she became involved in Gambian politics in 2015, working as a strategist and supporter of political leaders and initiatives.
According to Sock Jabbie, the experience provided her with a deeper understanding of the country’s political landscape and contributed to her decision to establish the ASD.
She said the movement was formed between 2018 and 2019 after she concluded that the existing political system was not sufficiently inclusive and was failing to address the needs of Gambians.
The ASD, she said, is built around the principles of peace, accountability and prosperity, with a white dove carrying an olive branch as its symbol.
Sock Jabbie said she had chosen to contest the presidential election as an independent rather than represent a political party.
She called on political parties, movements and Gambians to support an independent candidate who, she said, would not be affiliated with any political party.
If elected, Sock Jabbie said her administration would prioritize addressing national challenges, including food security, youth employment, women’s empowerment and economic development.
She also said her government would pursue constitutional, electoral, security-sector and institutional reforms that she believed remained incomplete following the 2016 political transition.
Among the proposals she outlined is a constitutional two-term limit for future presidents, alongside legislation aimed at promoting political stability regardless of which political group is in power.
Sock Jabbie also presented herself as a unifying candidate, saying she seeks to move beyond partisan politics and bring Gambians together around a reform agenda.
She said she has more than three decades of experience as an entrepreneur and philanthropist in Africa, Europe and the United States, and has mentored hundreds of women and young people.
The ASD is supporting her 2026 presidential bid, although Sock Jabbie maintains that her candidacy is being pursued independently of any political party.