Analysis | Kanifing Mayoral Race: All You Need To Know About The Candidates?

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Photo Credit: IEC




By AMO MANNEH


   

The people of Kanifing Municipality (KMC) will head to the polls in about 19 days to elect the mayor who will run the administrative affairs of the municipal council for the next five year term.  


As the aspiring candidtates submits their nomination forms, the race may appear little crowded but ‘the  electoral campaign and the popular expecation so far has been crystalized around two major contenders’: the incumbent mayor, Talibeh Ahmed Bensouda of the United Democratic Party (UDP), and the Minister for Youth and Sport, Bakary Badjie of National People’s Party (NPP).


The United Democratic Party (UDP) is the largest opposition party in the Gambia formed in 1996. In the recent concluded councilorship election in Kanifing, the UDP has defeated the National People’s Party in the race for ward councilors. NPP and UDP are the main contenders and rivals in the Gambia’s electoral landscape.


In this edition, the Outpost Media chronicles the brief profiles of the two contending candidates vying for the Kanifing Mayoral Office, and the major issue that may influence the election.


Talibeh Ahmed Bensouda of the United Democratic Party (UDP) is the youngest mayor in the history of Kanifing Municipality. He came to office in 2018 at the age of 31 years old, and he studied  economics at the University of Toronto. 



Since he resumed office in 2018, Bensouda has many initiatives, but he is famously credited for his waste collection projects. He deployed 500 street bins and 24 garbage trucks to solve the municipality’s main problem, including other developmental projects.


Bakary Badjie of the National People’s Party (NPP) is the Minister of Youth and Sport since 2020. He was the former nominated municipal council for Kanfiing between 2008-2013 and former council member at National Youth Counncil. He studied at the University of Ghana.



Despites the electoral popularity contest of the two major contending candidates for Kanifing mayorship. The election may be influence by two major issues emerging from the candidates area.


The recent establishment of the commission of inquiry into the conduct of lcoal councilors may influence the election outcome. Many believe that the commission of inquiry is a political witch-hunt towards UDP incumbent mayor in Kanifing who is a UDP member. 


In addition, the Conferedration of African Football (CAF) banning of the Gambia’s indeependence stadium for hosting CAF matches may also influence the election in Banjul, between Rohey Malik Lowe of UDP and Ebou Faye of NPP. According to (CAF) Gambia’s stadium lack  the required standard. Many believes that this may affect the political campaign of Ebou Faye, the manager of the Independent Stadium, and Bakary Badjie Minister of Youth and Sport in Banjul and KMC respectively.


However, these issues may not neccesarily have a signifcant impact on the election, because considering other factors such as vote buying and inducments may have greater impact in the election outcome.

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