By Yaya Dampha, NPP Diaspora Coordinator
October 27, 2025 | Banjul, The Gambia
Once again, the GDC leader, Mamma Kandeh, has resurfaced with tired and baseless allegations that the 2021 presidential election was rigged. These claims are not only false but also a desperate attempt to mislead the Gambian people and distort a democratic process that was declared free, fair, and transparent by every credible observer — both local and international.
1. Lies About Voter Registration
Mr. Kandeh’s claim that the National People’s Party (NPP) continued to register voters after the official closure of the registration exercise is nothing short of fiction.
Let it be made abundantly clear: the NPP does not, and cannot, conduct voter registration.
In The Gambia, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) — not any political party — is the only institution legally mandated to register voters. The registration exercise was conducted publicly, nationwide, and monitored by agents of all political parties, including the GDC.
If Kandeh truly believed voter registration continued beyond the official period, he should be able to answer simple questions:
Where did this so-called registration take place?
Who conducted it?
Why did he and his party remain silent throughout the process and only began complaining after losing the election?
The truth is clear: no illegal registration ever took place. Kandeh’s story is a fabrication designed to mislead the public and gain sympathy.
2. The Gambian Election Process Is Transparent and Verifiable
The Gambian electoral system is one of the most transparent in Africa. From voter registration to vote counting, every stage is conducted in public view and under strict scrutiny.
Party agents, local observers, and international monitors were present in every polling station. Votes were cast in transparent ballot drums, counted on the spot before everyone, and results were publicly announced and recorded at each polling station before transmission to regional centers.
Every political party — including the GDC — signed the official result sheets. If Mamma Kandeh truly believed there was manipulation, he should present evidence, not hollow political rhetoric.
3. Observer Reports Confirmed the Election’s Credibility
The 2021 presidential election was widely recognized as credible, peaceful, and transparent.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) described the process as “peaceful, transparent, and professionally managed.”
ECOWAS and the African Union both affirmed that the elections “reflected the will of the Gambian people.”
The Gambia Civil Society Coalition on Elections reported no irregularities significant enough to affect the final outcome
These respected institutions are independent. Their findings expose Kandeh’s claims as baseless political propaganda.
4. We Understand Mamma Kandeh’s Frustration
We at the NPP understand Mamma Kandeh’s frustration. It is no secret that his party is facing an internal collapse, with members and supporters abandoning him in large numbers to join the NPP — including elected Members of Parliament and councillors.
It is not easy for him politically, and this frustration is now showing through his reckless accusations and attempts to discredit the IEC and the democratic process that he once participated in fully.
Instead of attacking the system, Mr. Kandeh should look inward and ask himself why Gambians — including his own loyalists — continue to reject his leadership and embrace the vision of progress and stability under the NPP.
5. Respect the Will of the Gambian People
The Gambian people made their choice in December 2021. Their votes were counted transparently, and their voices were heard. The IEC performed its duties with professionalism, and the results were endorsed by both domestic and international observers.
Mr. Kandeh should stop insulting the intelligence of Gambians with falsehoods. The people deserve truth, honesty, and leadership, not politics of bitterness and deception.
The NPP will continue to defend democracy, uphold transparency, and focus on development — while others waste their time spreading lies.
The Gambia has moved forward, and no amount of revisionism will turn the clock back.
Signed:
Yaya Dampha
NPP Diaspora Coordinator
National People’s Party (NPP)
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