The minister described the allegations as false, insisting that Dr Jallow had not visited the electoral body since becoming Minister of Justice.

Speaking on Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, he also rejected claims that the Attorney General advised President Adama Barrow to expedite the publication of the government’s White Paper because Bensouda could challenge it in court.

He questioned how Bensouda could have knowledge of an alleged conversation between the Attorney General and the President, demanding evidence of the purported meeting.

“Who was there at that meeting? When did the meeting take place? The AG advising the President?” he asked.

The minister maintained that the alleged discussions never happened and insisted that Dr Jallow would not interfere with the country’s electoral process.

“He has not been to the IEC once since he became Minister of Justice,” he said.

He further argued that President Barrow had no interest in influencing the work of independent institutions, particularly the electoral commission, which is responsible for overseeing the country’s electoral process.

According to him, the President has allowed the IEC to operate independently and does not involve himself in its decisions.

The minister’s comments come amid controversy surrounding the government’s White Paper on the Commission of Inquiry into local government councils, which contains recommendations affecting Bensouda, the flagbearer of Coalition 2026.

Bensouda has questioned the circumstances surrounding the publication of the White Paper, suggesting that the process was rushed and politically motivated.

However, the minister insisted that the Commission was established more than two years ago, before Bensouda emerged as a presidential candidate.

He said the inquiry was established to address corruption and weaknesses in local government administration, not to target any individual.

He explained that after receiving the Commission’s report, government established a multi-sectoral committee to examine its findings and advise accordingly.

The committee’s recommendations were subsequently considered by Cabinet, which deliberated on the matter for three consecutive days before the White Paper was finalised.

The minister maintained that the government followed the constitutional process and rejected suggestions that the publication was timed to undermine Bensouda’s presidential ambitions.

Touray served as Vice President from 15 March 2019 until her removal in a cabinet reshuffle on 4 May 2022.

Day two of the nomination exercise also saw Democratic Party aspirant Yusupha A. Dumbuya file his papers, while the Gambia Action Party informed the IEC it would not be available for nomination as scheduled.

Touray was appointed Vice President to replace Ousainou Darboe, leader of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), who is also expected to file in the coming days.

She now returns not as an insider, but as an independent candidate asking voters to judge her on her record and her willingness to account for it.

Speaking after filing, Touray thanked the IEC and her supporters and accepted the nomination “with humility, a deep sense of responsibility, and an unwavering commitment to the people of The Gambia.” She noted her nomination is not yet final, as she has been asked to submit proof of secondary education, and she awaits the IEC’s decision within two days.

Rather than distance herself from the Barrow administration, Touray did the opposite.

“I served as Vice President under President Barrow, and I do not seek to distance myself from the government in which I served. I was part of that government, and I accept my share of responsibility for what it achieved, and importantly, what it failed to deliver,” she said.

That admission framed her critique of unfulfilled transition promises. She recalled that the 2016 coalition committed to a three-year transitional presidency, followed by constitutional and institutional reforms. That commitment, she said, was abandoned in favour of a full five-year term.

Barrow later supported a two-term limit, she added, yet constitutional reform failed and the country was left without the safeguards promised. The dispute over whether term limits should apply retrospectively, she said, was central to the failure of the 2020 draft constitution.

“These are not simply historical details. They go to the heart of public trust. Constitutional reform was one of the central promises of the political transition,” she said.

Touray linked that failure to daily life, saying too many poor and rural families still see no meaningful improvement in livelihoods and services. Development, she argued, must be measured not by headline figures but by whether people can feel the difference — a farmer with reliable support, a young person with genuine opportunity at home.

“This election must be about the future of Gambians, particularly the young people, not simply about the individual seeking to lead,” she said.

Her test will now move from the IEC filing desk to voters: whether her message of shared responsibility can distinguish her from the government she once helped lead.

Dumbuya told journalists that his government would introduce a law to regulate rental prices, proposing D2,000 for a two-bedroom house and D4,000 for a well-maintained three-bedroom house, with government subsidies supporting the plan.

“We want to bring this two-bedroom to D2,000. And if you fix your house very well, three-bedroom and everything, we are going to charge you D4,000. The government will subsidise this. We can do it, and I know how to do it,” he said.

However, his own presidential bid encountered difficulties after IEC Chairman Joseph Colley, acting as Returning Officer, raised concerns about his nomination documents.

Dumbuya failed to present his voter’s card and Senior Secondary School Certificate, although he said he possessed the latter. The Commission also questioned the absence of proof of payment of the D1 million nomination fee and asked him to resolve inconsistencies in his name across the submitted documents.

His nomination remained subject to the submission and verification of the outstanding requirements.

Despite the setback, Dumbuya used the occasion to criticise the government over its failure to deliver a new constitution, promising to pursue constitutional term limits if elected. 

Meanwhile, former Vice President Dr Isatou Touray filed her nomination as an independent candidate, calling for leadership that listens, functioning institutions, fair opportunities and a government that takes its responsibilities seriously.

“Our people are not asking for miracles,” she said, adding that her experience in public service had given her firsthand knowledge of the country’s challenges.

Touray is among those seeking to challenge President Adama Barrow in the December 5 presidential election.

On Tuesday, 3 November 2026, the Coalition Executive Committee officially concluded its stringent scrutiny of the conduct of the elections of its flagbearer for the December 5, 2026 Presidential elections and has unanimously resolved that the credibility of the exercise and the integrity of the process have been duly guided and guarded to yield unimpeachable results.

The CEC hereby takes this opportunity to announce that Dr. Lawyer Lamin J. Darboe has been duly elected as the Presidential candidate of Team Gambia Grand Coalition for the December 5, 2026 Presidential Elections and is due to present his nomination papers to the IEC on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 between 10 and 11 am.

The Team Gambia Grand Coalition 2026 flagbearer election process commenced on Friday, October 30, 2026 with the coordinators making a declaration of unalloyed neutrality and impartiality in the election process.

The aspirants were then authorized to engage in a structured and consultative election process to unanimously provide the coalition with a candidate from among their number but to no avail.

In the absence of unanimity the Good Governance Committee was charged with the responsibility of conducting voting procedure in the presence of the presidential aspirants and their representatives.

The Committee on Good Governance subsequently submitted its formal report on the process to the Coordinators and the CEC on Monday, 2 November 2026.

The CEC acknowledges the participation, cooperation and commitment shown by all as a demonstration of collective responsibility and shared commitment to the principles and aspirations of the Coalition. All aspirants, their representatives, regional structures, stakeholders and supporters are encouraged to sustain the spirit of cooperation that characterized the exercise.

The CEC warmly encourages all supporters, well-wishers and members of the public to join the Coalition in gracing this important occasion as a show of unity and support for the Flag bearer.

The Coalition remains committed to its founding principles of unity, transparency, accountability, integrity, fairness and good governance. As preparations continue towards the 5 December 2026 Presidential Election, the Coalition will proceed with the implementation of its Coalition Agreement and Manifesto and other relevant electoral preparations. The CEC congratulates Dr. Lawyer Lamin J. Darboe on his emergence as the Presidential Flag bearer of the Team Gambia Grand Coalition 2026.

That was the message of His Excellency Professor Muhammadou M.O. Kah, Ambassador of The Gambia to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva, speaking on behalf of Trade Minister Mod Ceesay.

Ambassador Kah, who is also Permanent Representative to the WTO and Coordinator of the WTO LDC Group, spoke at the session “Delivering Trade Impact for LDCs: What Works, What’s Next,” organised with UN-OHRLLS and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) during the 10th Global Review of Aid for Trade in Geneva on 29 October 2026.

For The Gambia, he said, trade is a foreign-exchange lifeline: merchandise exports of about USD 407 million and commercial services exports of USD 479 million in 2025.

According to the WTO Secretariat’s latest Market Access report, tourism and travel alone accounted for 91.6 per cent of services exports in 2024.

“Hence our push for diversification and value addition at home,” Kah said. “Regional integration pays beyond goods: through the OMVG interconnection, The Gambia now draws lower-cost electricity from Guinea — the World Bank estimates savings of some 42 per cent for our utility, NAWEC, helping return it to profitability.”

Cheaper power is competitiveness, he noted.

For the LDC Group, merchandise exports rose from USD 184 billion in 2020 to USD 313 billion in 2025, while commercial services exports nearly doubled from USD 27.2 billion to USD 53.1 billion.

Combined exports reached USD 362.4 billion, growing 11.5 per cent a year, and the Group’s share of world exports edged up from 1.01 to 1.04 per cent.

What has worked, he said, is duty-free access — 100 per cent tariff-line coverage from Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland, and over 99 per cent from the EU and UK — combined with the EIF, trade facilitation support and regional integration.

What has not worked, he added, is that in 2025 primary products still accounted for 53 per cent of LDC merchandise exports; ten exporters accounted for 71 per cent; and the Group ran a trade deficit of USD 109.2 billion.

“That one per cent of world trade is participation — not yet transformation,” Kah said. “Market access opens the door; productive capacity, infrastructure, standards and competitiveness walk through it.”

That is why Aid for Trade is indispensable, he stressed, precisely now when bilateral ODA to LDCs fell 25.8 per cent in 2025 and the Doha target of doubling Aid for Trade by 2031 is at risk.

Kah outlined priorities: productive capacity, smart industrialisation and diversification. Most LDCs, including The Gambia, still depend on a narrow range of commodities. The Gambia’s GDP per capita is around USD 855, and manufacturing just 5 to 6 per cent of GDP.

“Priority: value addition in agro-processing and sustainable fisheries, value chains anchored in the AfCFTA, climate-resilient productive sectors, and green and digital industries,” he said.

He also called for effective market access and preserved flexibilities — better preference utilisation, action on non-tariff barriers, special and differential treatment, and smooth-transition support for graduating LDCs.

On services, digital and green trade, Kah noted LDCs hold just 0.16 per cent of global digitally deliverable services exports. He called for digital infrastructure, skills, regulatory capacity, technology transfer and fuller use of the LDC Services Waiver, with regional markets open to MSMEs and women- and youth-led enterprises.

For some, voting remains a way to influence the country’s future. For others, repeated disappointments have raised doubts about whether elections can bring meaningful change.

Omar Sarr has decided not to vote. He said successive elections and changes in leadership had not brought the improvements many young people expected, particularly in jobs and economic opportunities.

“Politicians remember young people when they need votes but often forget about them after elections,” he said.

Sarr said he still follows politics and might reconsider if leaders became more accountable, delivered on promises and included young people in decision-making beyond campaigns.

Haddy Ngum, who intends to vote for the first time, sees participation as a civic responsibility.

“Voting may not solve all our problems immediately, but it gives us an opportunity to influence who makes decisions on our behalf,” she said.

She wants leaders to address unemployment, quality education, skills training and the rising cost of living. She also urged young people to verify information before sharing it and respect supporters of other parties.

For Ismaila Fofana, who has voted once, the challenge is making politics feel relevant to everyday struggles. Unemployment, low wages and daily expenses, he said, can make politics seem less important to young people trying to survive. He said leaders must show practical commitment through policies on jobs, education, internet costs and business support.

Political analyst Essa Njie said young people’s confidence in elections is linked to whether governance makes them feel included. When jobs, economic policies and decision-making fail them, they begin to question voting.

He warned that disengagement could weaken advocacy, civil society and accountability, and urged parties to create meaningful roles for youth, women and persons with disabilities.

Civic education advocate Alieu Jobe said participation should not be measured by voting alone. Civic education, youth-led initiatives, digital engagement and leadership opportunities can make participation more meaningful, beyond election day.

Figures from the 2021 voter registration showed people aged 18 to 35 accounted for 57 per cent of 962,157 registered voters.

The latest 2026 registration puts voters at 1,146,474, representing 47.32 per cent of the 2,422,712 population recorded in the 2024 census.

For the young people interviewed, democracy must deliver more than choosing leaders. It must deliver opportunity, accountability and leaders who listen.

“This story was produced as part of a youth-focused civic education and election reporting project supported by ActionAid International The Gambia (AAITG), with funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF).”

Held under the theme “The Role of African Universities in Advancing Child Rights Research, Education, Innovation, Policy and Practice for Sustainable Impact,” the meeting aims to validate the network's governance framework, expand membership and strengthen collaboration among universities.

Opening the meeting, University of The Gambia Vice Chancellor Professor Herbert Robinson described it as a historic milestone. He highlighted the recent establishment of the Child Rights Centre at the university, launched with UNICEF support, as the first university-based child rights institution in the country.

“Universities must play a central role not only in teaching and research but also in shaping national discourse, influencing policy and generating evidence needed to improve the lives of children,” he said.

While acknowledging progress, Robinson noted challenges remain, particularly for children in remote and vulnerable communities. He urged greater collaboration among universities, governments and development partners.

Representing the UN system, FAO Country Representative Moshibudi Rampedi reaffirmed the UN's commitment to child rights and emphasised the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

She said universities have a unique responsibility to produce locally relevant research and promote human rights values.

“With less than four years remaining to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, evidence-based policymaking is increasingly urgent,” she said. “Lasting progress must be locally generated, owned and sustained.”

She pledged continued support for academic partnerships, legal reforms and initiatives that ensure children participate in decisions affecting their lives.

Fatou Janneh, representing the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, highlighted government initiatives including support for student mothers in higher education, the National TVET Policy 2021-2030, and the Gender and Inclusion Policy 2025-2029 to expand access for girls, boys and learners with disabilities.

She said universities must go beyond producing graduates by generating evidence for policy, training professionals who work with children, and creating platforms for children to contribute to decisions.

Delegates will exchange best practices, discuss emerging challenges and develop strategies to strengthen child rights education, research and advocacy across Africa.

The Academy, located in Kartong opposite the Military Camp, was opened last Saturday. It is offering admission to children aged five and above into Quranic Memorization and the Arabic Grade system, from Grade 1 to 12.

According to the school management, the Academy will later introduce Daycare and Nursery, Lower and Upper Basic Education in the English system, Skills Training including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and preparation for Upper Basic in English as it expands.

The Academy’s mission is to nurture faith, knowledge, skills and character, preparing children for a brighter and more meaningful future.

The Arabic Grade curriculum includes Mathematics, English Language and Reading to prepare pupils for transition to Grade 5 in English schools. Pupils will also receive basic life skills training in IT/Computer, Plumbing, Masonry and Tiling. More details are available on the school’s website: https://sadakajariyaa.com.

Speaking at the opening, Proprietor Lamin Sillah said plans are underway to turn the Academy into a boarding school for both Arabic and English students.

He said the Academy will also prepare students to be fluent in English, French and Portuguese in the near future.

“Education provides major advantages that span personal growth, financial stability, health and broader societal progress,” Sillah said. “The biggest benefit of school is the combination of foundational life preparation and critical social-emotional development, which equips children with the essential knowledge, discipline and human connection needed to navigate the world.”

Earlier, Oustass Sheikh Joh, Principal of the Arabic section, urged parents to support their children through warm relationships, unconditional support and guidance to build confidence and emotional strength, to complement the conducive learning environment provided by the Academy.

Imam Abbass Manneh urged people to worship Allah at all times, noting that death is inevitable and the Day of Judgement is real.

He advised parents to ensure their children learn Islamic knowledge so they know how to worship God and be God-fearing. He prayed for and thanked Lamin Sillah for opening the Academy and offering free education to children of Kartong and satellite villages.