By Kawsu Daffeh
The United Democratic Party (UDP) and Gambia For All (GFA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) formalizing GFA’s decision to join the UDP-led Gambia First Coalition ahead of December 2026 presidential election.
The signing ceremony was held at the UDP Secretariat in Manjai on Tuesday and brought together senior officials, supporters and members of the two parties.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bolong Sonko, a representative of GFA, said the party’s decision to join the coalition was driven by its objective of changing the current government and addressing what he described as the challenges facing Gambians.
He cited poor infrastructure, persistent power shortages and other socio-economic difficulties as some of the concerns affecting livelihoods across the country.
Sonko said UDP leader Ousainou Darboe represented, in GFA’s view, a solution to the challenges facing Gambians.
He called on GFA members, supporters and coalition partners to remain united and work collectively ahead of the presidential election.
UDP Leader Ousainou Darboe welcomed GFA into the coalition, saying the signing of the MOU was not merely about increasing the coalition’s numbers, but also about bringing together experience, expertise and shared values.
Darboe says that if the coalition wins the forthcoming election, the victory will not belong to him alone but to Gambians generally.
He said the opposition had what he described as a major opportunity in the December election and pledged that the coalition would work to secure victory at the polls.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Yaya Njie, a member of GFA, reflected on what he described as the challenges the country had faced over the past decade.
Njie described the December 2026 presidential election as a “do or die” moment for the coalition and the country, warning that failure to win the election, in his view, could lead to further difficulties for The Gambia in the coming years.