The deputy leader of the Golden Era Party, Neneh Cheyeyassine Secka-Kebe, has criticised the Gambian government for increasing the political party registration fee from D1 million to D2 million.

In her first public interview since the formation of her party, Ms Secka-Kebe described the move as “deliberate” and intended to prevent new political aspirants from registering ahead of the 2026 general election.

“We already knew they were going to raise it to 2 million dalasis. This was deliberate. You don’t just wake up and make such a decision overnight,” she said.

She added that despite the increase, Gambians would “find ways to register,” describing the people as resilient in the face of economic challenges.

Ms Secka-Kebe also criticised the government’s management of public services, saying the lack of price control and the shortage of medicines in hospitals reflected deeper problems of “corruption and inconsistency.”

By Adama Makasuba