“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

A Legacy in the Balance

I write this article as a former public servant and engaged citizen, compelled by a deep concern for the direction of our democracy as we approach the 2026 presidential election. The Gambia stands once again at a profound crossroads, poised to choose its destiny. This election will mark the third peaceful contest since the shadow of Yahya Jammeh lifted—a pivotal moment demanding not just a choice of leaders, but a reaffirmation of our democratic spirit and national soul.

Elections here are more than rituals; they are solemn oaths whispered in the quiet of the voting booth, promises to our ancestors and our children.

The stakes could not be higher for this small but proud nation, whose heartbeat echoes through every village, town, and city.

Historical Trajectory: Votes That Echo Still

Our democratic journey, though young, is steeped in struggle and hope. The early years of independence under Jawara painted a canvas of cautious optimism, where political pluralism bloomed amidst social fissures—rural and urban divides, ethnic complexities, and economic disparity quietly threading through the fabric of society.

Then, the long night of Jammeh’s rule dimmed the nation’s democratic light—elections were held, yet shrouded in fear and manipulation, freedoms curtailed, voices silenced. The 2016 election shattered that night with a dawn of peaceful change. Yet, the fragile glow of that victory flickers under the weight of political fragmentation and unfulfilled promises.

As we gaze toward 2026, history beckons us to remember that democracy is a tender bloom requiring nurturing, vigilance, and unwavering commitment.

Marble vs. Paper: More Than Just a Medium

The debate over voting methods—the iconic marble against the increasingly favored paper ballot—transcends technicalities. The marble system, born of Gambian ingenuity, has long served as a symbol of our inclusive democracy, its tactile simplicity a bridge over literacy divides.

Yet, in a world that moves swiftly toward modernization, the marble’s limitations have become evident: cost, secrecy concerns, and scalability. Paper ballots promise alignment with regional norms and potential efficiencies but come with risks—voter confusion, ballot spoiling, and the urgent need for widespread civic education.

This choice embodies the tension between cherished tradition and the inexorable call to progress.

Bridging the Divide: Educate, Symbolize, Include

Should The Gambia embrace paper ballots in 2026, this evolution must be tenderly shepherded by education campaigns, using candidate symbols and photographs to guide voters, pilot programs to build confidence, and electoral officials trained to foster trust.

Only through such care can we transform a technical change into a renewed covenant between the people and their democracy.

Diaspora Voting: The Promise Still Deferred

The Gambian diaspora—our sons and daughters scattered across continents—remain, in law, citizens with the right to vote. Yet recent legal amendments have effectively silenced their voices, denying their rightful place in shaping the homeland.

To exclude them is to weaken our democracy’s roots. Restoring diaspora voting, beginning with presidential polls, would honor the diaspora’s sacrifices and deepen the bonds that tie them to The Gambia’s future.

Coalition or Collision?

Our political landscape is a mosaic of competing visions and ambitions. Fragmented opposition parties and a consolidating ruling party define the current scene. Yet, beneath electoral rivalry lies a pressing need for unity, as poverty, health disparities, and governance reforms demand collective effort.

Without bridging divides, elections risk devolving into battles of egos and ethnic allegiances, draining national energy and eroding public trust.

The Tribalization of Politics: A Danger for All

Perhaps the most insidious threat to our democratic promise is the rising tide of tribalism, where ethnic identities are weaponized in political discourse. This is a peril not confined to The Gambia; history’s cruel lessons from Kenya, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and beyond warn of the violence and division sown when ethnicity trumps shared citizenship.

For The Gambia, a nation of delicate social fabric and limited security capacity, such tribalism endangers not only the integrity of elections but the very peace that sustains our development.

Security agencies grapple with balancing order and neutrality amid swirling tensions, while social media fuels the rapid spread of divisive narratives. This fragile moment demands that leaders, media, and citizens reject ethnic partisanship and embrace an inclusive nationalism—one that binds us with the cords of common destiny rather than the wedges of division.

Digital Disruption: Jammeh’s Ghost in the Algorithm

Even as the man himself remains exiled, the specter of Jammeh’s influence lingers in cyberspace, where misinformation and disinformation chip away at trust in institutions. To protect our democracy, we must bolster independent media, invest in fact-checking, and foster digital literacy among citizens.

Truth, like light, must flood every corner of our national discourse.

Principles for Peaceful 2026 Elections

As we look toward December 2026, the following pillars must guide us:
– Reinstating diaspora voting with measured safeguards.
– Modernizing the IEC’s logistical capacity while ensuring comprehensive voter education.
– Monitoring campaign financing to uphold fairness.
– Ensuring security forces remain neutral guardians of peace.
– Holding political actors accountable to unity and reform.
– Empowering citizens with knowledge and tools for meaningful participation.

-Combatting digital disinformation through independent oversight and civic tech partnerships.

Lessons from 1963: Justice, Restraint, and the Register

Long before the debates of today, The Gambia faced a defining test of its democratic foundations. In 1962, opposition leader Pierre Sarr Njie challenged the validity of the electoral register, raising constitutional questions about the fairness of the vote that sustained Prime Minister Dawda Kairaba Jawara’s administration.

The matter was litigated through The Gambia’s domestic courts and eventually reached the West African Court of Appeal (WACA). In Njie v. Attorney General (1963) WACA 269, the appellate court ruled in favor of Njie, finding irregularities that cast doubt on the legitimacy of the register. The presiding judges—Sir Kenneth O’Connor (President), Coussey JA, and Abbott JA—delivered a verdict that, if enforced, might have led to the nullification of the 1962 general election results.

However, in a move that laid bare the limits of colonial rule-of-law rhetoric, the British colonial administration chose to disregard the judgment, effectively upholding Jawara’s electoral mandate. The Gambia Court of Appeal had earlier ruled against Njie in Njie v. Attorney General [1962] GCA 113, but this was overturned by the WACA ruling.

Yet, it was Njie’s own restraint and statesmanship that averted constitutional crisis. Rather than mobilizing dissent, he urged respect for the law, dialogue, and national unity—choosing country over confrontation. His statesmanship remains a rare and poignant example of principled opposition in post-colonial African politics.

This moment is instructive: while judicial independence can illuminate the path to justice, political courage and civic maturity must walk it—especially when formal rulings are denied effect by executive power.

As we look to 2026, both President Adama Barrow and Ousainou Darboe have voiced the need for restraint and peace. President Barrow has emphasized civic responsibility, constitutional dialogue, and interfaith harmony. Darboe, while warning against the politicization of state institutions, has called for democratic vigilance through peaceful means.

In this fragile political moment, the priority must be national cohesion—with leaders, institutions, and citizens committed to peaceful competition, responsible rhetoric, and inclusive reform.

A Moment of Statesmanship: The 2001 Presidential Election

In 2001, The Gambia stood on a knife’s edge following the presidential election. Amidst palpable tension, a gesture of immense civic importance occurred: opposition leader Ousainou Darboe called President Yahya Jammeh to congratulate him on his victory. This call, broadcast live on television and radio, defused a nation’s anxieties.

This singular act of political maturity deserves commendation—not only for the candidates involved but also for their advisers and the state institutions that preserved peace during those crucial hours. The role of Cabinet Ministers, led by the Vice President, alongside the Inspector General of Police and the Police High Command, the Army Commander, and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency and his Directors, was instrumental.

I served at the time as Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Interior and cannot therefore discuss operational details. However, history must record the quiet professionalism, discipline, and leadership that helped preserve national unity at a time when other countries might have plunged into crisis. That moment from 2001 remains a testament to the power of principled leadership, dialogue, and respect for democratic outcomes.

A Civic Prayer and Call to Action

As The Gambia prepares to cast its ballots once more, we must choose to be architects of unity rather than agents of division. Whether our vote falls as a marble or a mark on paper, let it be cast in the spirit of collective hope.

Let us remember: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” — Abraham Lincoln

The Gambian journey is not the story of tribes or parties alone—it is the story of a people bound by shared dreams and common struggles.

Let the 2026 election be a radiant chapter in that story, where peace triumphs over discord, courage over fear, and unity over fragmentation.

For democracy is no mere event — it is the enduring flame of hope, justice, and belonging.

May The Gambia’s light shine ever brighter.

Conclusion: The Path We Choose

As history bends once more toward decision, The Gambia must resist the corrosive tides of tribalism, regionalism, and religious bigotry—forces that threaten to unravel our national fabric. These divisions, often cloaked in political rhetoric, are not harmless campaign tools. They are daggers pointed at the heart of our democracy, endangering everything we have built together since our return to civilian rule.

We are one people, bound not by ethnic lines or denominational differences, but by a shared history and a collective yearning for peace, dignity, and progress. To weaponize identity—whether ethnic, regional, or religious—is to sow the seeds of discord in a nation whose strength lies in its interwoven social harmony.

This danger becomes more pressing when placed in our regional context. West Africa is facing one of its most volatile periods in recent memory. Military coups have disrupted constitutional order in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Niger. ECOWAS, once a pillar of democratic consensus, now struggles to contain the resurgence of authoritarianism and violent extremism. According to the International Crisis Group and multiple ECOWAS communiqués, The Gambia lies within a vulnerable arc, where political instability and ideological radicalism may spill across borders if national cohesion falters. In such a precarious neighborhood, we cannot afford internal fragmentation.

The 2026 election, then, is far more than a procedural event—it is a defining moment in the republic’s narrative. It is a mirror through which we glimpse not just our political preferences but the very soul of our nation. From the restraint of Pierre Sarr Njie in 1963 to the courage of voters in 2016, The Gambia has known the power of principle, the promise of peaceful change.

Let us meet this moment with clarity and conviction. Let reform be real, participation genuine, and unity unwavering. In a region plagued by backsliding, The Gambia can choose to stand firm—as a small nation with a mighty soul, proving that democracy, anchored in justice and wisdom, can endure even under strain.

May 2026 mark not a fork toward fragmentation, but a step into democratic maturity—where ballots are cast not in fear or division, but in hope, dignity, and the resolve of a united people.