Gambia: Latest news in Gambia, October 5th, 2026

Major news headlines and developments in The Gambia for October 5, 2026:

• Coalition 2026 and Opposition Politics: Coalition 2026, led by Talib Bensouda, issued a sharp statement condemning what it termed the “weaponisation of identity politics” by National People’s Party (NPP) officials ahead of the upcoming presidential elections. Meanwhile, United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Ousainu Darboe publicly rejected calls to join President Adama Barrow’s NPP-led political alliance.

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• Electoral Scrutiny: The United Democratic Party (UDP) formally urged the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to disclose comprehensive supplementary voter data, citing a noticeable discrepancy between figures publicly announced and preliminary datasets provided.

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• Global Leadership Role: The Gambia assumed the global leadership and chair of the Group of 44 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), underscoring an expanded diplomatic presence at multilateral forums.

  The Point Newspaper

• Higher Education Directives: President Adama Barrow directed the University of The Gambia (UTG) governing authorities to halt the recruitment process for a new Vice Chancellor following administrative and procedural concerns raised by the Ministry of Higher Education.

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• Infrastructure and Energy: The Government signed contracts to expand the national electricity network across ten rural communities in the West Coast Region (WCR), advancing its target toward universal electricity access by 2028.

  The Point Newspaper

• Civil Society Appeals: The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations in The Gambia (TANGO) issued a public statement cautioning political party operatives and commentators against hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric, and divisive election campaigns.