By: Malanding Darboe & Kemo Kanyi
The UDP has won the Masembeh Ward by-election with a margin of 187 votes.
The UDP candidate Bakary S. Jarju secured 700 votes (57.7%) against NPP’s Lamin Jarju, who polled 513 votes (42.3%).
The UDP secured decisive win in three areas, while the NPP won in only one. At the Masembeh polling station, UDP’s Bakary S. Jarju polled 245 votes while NPP’s Lamin Jarju secured 176 votes. Elsewhere in the Masembeh Ward, Bakary polled 269 votes at Kolior polling station whilst NPP’s Lamin secured 46 votes. Bakary secured 181 votes at Jomarr polling station while Lamin won 80 votes. The NPP overwhelmingly won at Toranka Bantang polling station as Lamin won 211 votes with Bakary securing five votes.
The UDP said its success sends a clear message and that is that financial muscle and state machinery cannot eclipse genuine community engagement.
“Councillor-elect Bakary S. Jarju’s victory is a testament to the UDP’s enduring legacy as The Gambia’s leading opposition force. Local supporters hailed the win as a rejection of what they called “empty promises” and a reaffirmation of trust in the UDP’s commitment to development,” said the UDP.
“The UDP campaign team deserves accolades for its disciplined, house-to-house outreach, spot meetings, rallies and ability to galvanize voters despite limited resources. The UDP’s strategy of focusing on local issues—access to clean water, access roads to the farms and river, agricultural support, and education—resonated deeply in Masembeh Ward. This victory is not just Bakary S. Jarju’s but a collective triumph for every volunteer, organizer, and resident who stood firm against undue influence,” it added.
The UDP believes that the Masembeh Ward victory will undoubtedly energize opposition supporters nationwide.
“It serves as a blueprint for how grassroots campaigning can overcome the ruling party’s advantages, setting the stage for future electoral battles,” asserted the country’s main opposition party in a statement signed by its administrative secretary for media and communication Tombong Saidy.
“The people have spoken—loudly and clearly,” concluded the statement.
Meanwhile, UDP’s Bakary Jarju indicated that he was poised to deliver on his campaign promises to the people, irrespective of their political affiliations.
“I still maintain my stance as I promised them during the campaign period that I will continue the projects started by my late predecessor. These are the projects I intend to complete before implementing new projects. I will work hand in glove with women gardeners in the Masembeh ward to see to it that they realise their aspirations. I would like to seize this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the voters for the trust bestowed on me,” he told The Voice yesterday.
