Bakary Ok. Badjie, National Assembly Member for Foni Berefet, has declared his candidacy for the 2026 Gambian presidential election, citing financial hardship, insecurity, and a failing healthcare system as key points he goals to deal with.
Speaking on the nation’s independence day on Tuesday (18 Feb.), Mr. Badjie lamented thatThe Gambia has failed to attain the imaginative and prescient of its founding fathers. He referred to as for radical management to elevate the nation out of poverty and underdevelopment.
“Our independence, which we have been celebrating for the past 60 years, would be meaningless unless it is linked to the liberation of our people from the clutches of poverty, the scourge of death and insecurity, and the chains of underdevelopment and economic suffering,” he stated.
Mr Badjie stated inflation has reached vital ranges, driving up the price of residing and making life insufferable for extraordinary Gambians. He blamed a scarcity of value management and ineffective financial insurance policies for the financial pressure.
“The prices of basic commodities in the markets and shops have surged, making life extremely difficult for the farmer, the fisherman, and the everyday Gambian,” he famous.
He pledged to introduce strong financial insurance policies to stabilize the nationwide forex, the Dalasi, curb inflation, and help small and medium enterprises.
Rising crime and insecurity had been additionally focal factors in Mr. Badjie’s deal with. He highlighted the rising variety of armed robberies, killings, and violent crimes, calling for larger empowerment of Gambian safety forces.
“Our security personnel are being belittled, degraded, and treated without the honour and respect they rightfully deserve,” he stated, vowing to revive their dignity and mandate.
He additionally criticised the presence of overseas army forces in The Gambia, arguing that they undermine the morale of native safety personnel.
“What is more risky than having foreign soldiers in our State House, in the very heart of our sovereignty?” he questioned.
Mr. Badjie expressed issues over the nation’s training system, describing it as outdated and a remnant of colonial rule.
He referred to as for reforms to emphasise vital pondering, innovation, and vocational coaching to empower Gambian youth with sensible expertise.
“Our sons and daughters are taught to memorize, not to think; to follow, not to innovate,” he stated, including that the nation wants extra job creators reasonably than job seekers.
In the healthcare sector, he painted a grim image of the state of affairs in hospitals, the place he claimed sufferers are sometimes left mendacity on the ground attributable to a scarcity of beds and fundamental medical provides.
“This is absolutely unacceptable, after 60 years of independence!” he declared, promising main investments in healthcare infrastructure and providers.
Agriculture, which stays a key sector for the Gambian economic system, was one other main focus of Mr. Badjie’s speech.
He criticized the continued dependence on meals imports and referred to as for elevated funding in fashionable farming methods.
“We must revolutionize agriculture through innovation and mechanization. We will empower our farmers with modern tools, training, and facilities,” he pledged.
Mr. Badjie’s announcement marks a major step in The Gambia’s political panorama, along with his marketing campaign prone to problem the present administration.
While acknowledging the dangers of his resolution, he remained resolute. “Some may say we are too young, while others may say this is too ambitious and risky. But remember, it is ambition and risk that run the world,” he stated.
By Adama Makasuba
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