Mama Kandeh, the leader of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress, has warned that President Adama Barrow will continue to seek re-election as long as there are no term limits in the country’s constitution.

Mr. Kandeh made these remarks during a recent news conference, where he addressed pressing national issues.

He expressed disappointment over Parliament’s failure to pass the draft constitution and urged disputing parties to compromise on Barrow’s first term to ensure that term limits are enshrined in law.

“In all fairness, if any of us were in Barrow’s shoes, we would have accepted our first term to be included in the term limit. Because at that time, the constitution had no term limit.

“The constitution could have been passed, and his first five years could have been removed. We keep saying ‘no third term for Barrow,’ but Barrow will go for a third term as long as Gambians adopt a new constitution with term limits. If it were up to us, the constitution would have been passed,” he said.

He also criticised the government’s spending on independence celebrations, stating: “I don’t have time to celebrate independence because the millions we are spending on it, when we are not truly independent but rather dependent—is a waste of resources. Those millions could be better used in other areas to benefit the country and its citizens.”

By Adama Makasuba