Gambiaj.com – (JIMARA, The Gambia) – Former Jimara National Assembly Member Alhagie H. Sowe has formally joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), ending months of speculation and handing President Adama Barrow a politically significant boost in one of the country’s most closely watched constituencies.
Sowe’s decision carries weight beyond the defection of a former opposition lawmaker. Jimara is the political home of both President Adama Barrow and Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) leader Mama Kandeh, making the constituency a symbolic battleground in the rivalry between the two leaders ahead of the December 2026 presidential election.
By crossing over to the NPP, Sowe has shifted the political dynamics in a district where local influence and personal networks often play a decisive role in electoral outcomes.
Speculation Confirmed
Sowe announced his decision in a statement issued Sunday from Sare Kokeh Village, saying he was joining the NPP with immediate effect after what he described as “deep reflection and unwavering conviction.”
His move confirms speculation that began in October last year when he resigned from the GDC during President Barrow’s annual visit to his hometown in Jimara. At the time, many observers interpreted the timing as an indication that the former lawmaker was preparing to align himself with the ruling party.
The rumours were not entirely new. Similar reports surfaced in 2020, but Sowe publicly rejected them and reaffirmed his loyalty to the GDC. His latest announcement, however, marks a definitive break with the party under which he entered Parliament in 2017.
Development as the Deciding Factor
Explaining his decision, Sowe said several political parties had approached him following his resignation from the GDC, but insisted that his political choices have always been guided by the interests of the people of Jimara rather than personal ambition.
He argued that the NPP’s development agenda best reflects the vision he has long advocated for the constituency.
Among the achievements he cited were the expansion of electricity to nearly 80 percent of communities in Jimara, ongoing road construction projects and planned infrastructure investments expected to begin early next year. He also pointed to progress in education, agriculture, healthcare and rural electrification as reasons for backing President Barrow’s administration.
Sowe pledged to help strengthen the NPP in Jimara and mobilise support for President Barrow’s re-election campaign.
A Blow to the GDC?
For the GDC, Sowe’s departure represents more than the loss of a former parliamentarian. It weakens the party’s presence in the constituency most closely associated with its leader.
Mama Kandeh has built much of his political identity around Jimara, where he enjoys deep personal and historical ties. President Barrow likewise traces his political roots to the same district, making every political realignment there highly significant.
Sowe’s defection therefore adds another layer to what is already expected to be an intense contest for political dominance in Jimara. While the presidency will be decided nationwide, the outcome in the constituency is likely to carry symbolic importance as both Barrow and Kandeh seek to demonstrate who commands greater loyalty in their shared political home.
Although Sowe lost his parliamentary seat in the 2022 elections, he remains a recognised political figure in the district. His support could help the NPP consolidate its grassroots structures while posing a fresh challenge to the GDC’s influence in an area long regarded as one of its traditional strongholds.
As campaigning gathers pace for the 2026 presidential election, Jimara is once again emerging as more than just another constituency. It is becoming a test of political influence between two national leaders whose roots lie in the same district, with Sowe’s defection potentially altering the balance in that brotherly contest for local political supremacy.
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