On a bright, sunny day in Banjul, two political forces chose cooperation over rivalry and national responsibility over party differences. Their decision marks a seismic moment in The Gambia’s political journey. Its true importance, however, will not be measured by the signing ceremony. It will be measured by whether the partnership makes communities safer, expands opportunity, strengthens public institutions, and improves the lives of Gambians at home and abroad.
The Memorandum of Understanding between APP-Sobeyaa and the NPP offers a framework for addressing urgent constitutional, democratic, economic, and social priorities. It deserves serious public attention, and support grounded in clear expectations. This pact must become more than a promise: it must serve as a public standard against which progress is transparently measured.
A nation at a crossroads
The Gambia faces pressing challenges. Families are struggling with the cost of living, desperate young people are seeking meaningful opportunities, farmers are navigating uncertainty, and citizens want institutions they can trust. These concerns cannot be answered by slogans or deepened divisions. They call for cooperation, disciplined leadership, and practical policies that improve everyday life.
The agreement sets out commitments with the potential to advance that work. Each must be pursued with urgency, transparency, and respect for the people it is meant to serve.
Commitments that can improve lives
Constitutional reform on a clear and reasonable timetable
A credible, modern constitution can safeguard citizens’ rights, define the limits of public authority, and strengthen the balance of power. Setting a reasonable, clearly defined timetable would help demonstrate that reform is a genuine commitment, not an indefinite promise.
Constitutional protections matter in daily life. They can make government more accountable, reduce the risk of political interference in public institutions, and provide a stronger framework for protecting freedoms and resolving disputes. The constitution must serve the people, not the convenience of those in power.
Electoral reform and diaspora participation
Electoral reform should remove unnecessary barriers and make it possible for every eligible Gambian to participate in choosing the country’s leaders. Extending voting rights to Gambians in the diaspora would recognise that citizenship and national contribution do not end at the border.
Gambians abroad contribute significantly to families and communities, including through remittances. They should also have a meaningful voice in shaping the country’s future. A democracy gains legitimacy when participation is broad, free, and fair.
An independent anti-corruption commission
An independent Anti-Corruption Commission can help protect public resources, investigate allegations impartially, and strengthen oversight. Its credibility will depend on genuine independence, clear legal authority, and transparent work.
The consequences of corruption reach far beyond political debate. Misused public funds can mean under-resourced clinics, overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, or community projects left unfinished. Public money must be used for public benefit, and the law must apply equally to all.
Action on the TRRC recommendations
The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission’s recommendations must lead to meaningful action. This includes establishing victims’ compensation funds and ensuring credible cases can proceed through lawful and fair processes.
For victims and their families, recognition, reparations, and accountability can help restore dignity. For the nation, implementing these recommendations affirms that reconciliation must be rooted in truth and justice, and that no one is above the law.
Comprehensive security-sector reform
Security institutions should protect the public, uphold the law, and operate under clear civilian oversight. Reform should strengthen professionalism, training, accountability, and public trust while ensuring that agencies can respond effectively to genuine threats.
People should be able to live, work, travel, and speak without fear. Effective security and individual liberty are not competing aims: sound institutions must protect both.
Broader health insurance coverage
Expanding national health insurance can help more people obtain care without facing financial hardship. A well-designed system should improve access to essential services, reduce out-of-pocket costs, and pay particular attention to those least able to afford treatment.
When parents, workers, older people, and children can access timely care, illness is less likely to become a financial crisis for the whole household. A healthier population is better equipped to learn, work, care for loved ones, and contribute to national development.
Agricultural reform and food security
Farmers need better access to inputs, training, storage, markets, and dependable infrastructure. Strengthening local production can make food supplies more resilient and reduce the country’s exposure to disruptions and price shocks.
Supporting farmers benefits rural households, consumers, and the nation as a whole. Food security is not only an agricultural concern; it is central to household stability and national resilience.
Reducing living costs and preventing price manipulation
Practical action to ease the cost of living should support fair competition, improve market oversight, and address price manipulation. Measures must be transparent and enforceable, while accounting for their effects on consumers, small businesses, and the availability of essential goods.
For families facing higher food, transport, and household expenses, even meaningful incremental relief can make a difference. Fair markets protect consumers while allowing legitimate businesses to operate. No household should be pushed to the brink by preventable market abuses.
Civil-service reform and dignified wages
A capable civil service is essential to reliable public services. Reform should promote merit, professionalism, and accountability, alongside fair compensation that provides public servants with a dignified living wage.
When public servants are properly supported and equipped, citizens are more likely to receive dependable service. Stronger administration can reduce delays, build public confidence, and turn policy commitments into results communities can see.
Sustainable energy and reliable power
The Gambia needs affordable, dependable energy for homes, businesses, schools, health facilities, and agriculture. Greater energy efficiency, sustainable sources, and fair competition can help improve service and reduce dependence on an unreliable system. NAWEC’s persistent failures underscore the need for a more accountable, effective approach to power provision.
Reliable electricity allows children to study, clinics to preserve medicines and provide care, businesses to remain open, and producers to expand their work. Energy reform is therefore a direct investment in public well-being and economic opportunity.
Leadership and public responsibility
Honourable Essa Mbye Faal is widely associated by his supporters with principled leadership, constitutional commitment, and respect for institutional integrity. His legal and public-service experience, measured approach, and humility have made him a prominent voice in the national conversation about reform.
His supporters see in him a leader capable of placing the rule of law and the country’s long-term interests above political expediency. Yet no leader should be judged by praise alone. Leadership is proven through conduct, sound judgment, respect for institutions, and the ability to deliver for the public.
The confidence placed in any leader must be matched by a willingness to work with others, accept scrutiny, and produce measurable results. Accountability is not an obstacle to leadership; it is one of its obligations.
Support the pact, and hold it to its promises
This pact merits support because it addresses issues that touch the daily lives of Gambians. But support must go hand in hand with vigilance. Citizens should expect clear timelines, regular public updates, transparent implementation, and honest explanations whenever progress falls short.
Party loyalty must never become a reason for silence, and political disagreement must not stand in the way of national progress. The partnership should be judged by what it accomplishes, not by how loudly it is defended. Gambians have heard many promises made for applause and forgotten once the cameras are gone. This pact must be different: a practical programme and a binding responsibility to the people.
The opportunity before us is real, but it will only matter if citizens help turn commitments into progress. Let us support cooperation, demand accountability, and insist on tangible results. Let us stand for a peaceful, prosperous, democratic, and responsible Gambia where dignity, opportunity, justice, and security belong to everyone.
Now is the time for Gambians to rally behind a renewed national purpose: support the partnership, follow its progress, and hold its leaders to every promise. Together, we can make cooperation count, protect the hopes of the next generation, and build a Gambia in which every citizen has a fair chance to thrive.
The author is the deputy national admin secretary of APP-Sobeyaa.
By Cherno Touray