Coalition 2026, led by UNITE leader Talib Ahmed Bensouda, has unveiled its manifesto titled ‘The Gambia We Deserve’, outlining 3 pillars, 13 policy points and 66 priority actions it says will be completed by 2031 when The Gambia turns 66 years old.
Speaking at the launch on October 22, 2026, ahead of the December presidential election, Bensouda said the manifesto is built around governance and trust, human development and economic integrity, simplified into three commitments of trust, people and prosperity. The plan includes a constitutional review and referendum within two years, raising health spending to 15% of the budget, and establishing a National Development Bank to drive job creation and economic growth.
Bensouda said the plan includes 3 pillars, 13 policy points and 66 priority actions, explaining that the figure aligns with The Gambia’s age in 2031.
He expatiated on the plan: "Do you remember, in one of our major promises, we said that people who do Islamic studies will be appointed at embassies in Islamic countries? That brought the number to 66. And then I came to a realization: we are promising 66 actions within 5 years of elective office. And that will end in 2031. And we found out that The Gambia will turn 66 years old in 2031. So, by 2031, when Gambia is 66, we will have completed the 66 actions that will transform this nation."
Bensouda described the gathering not simply to launch a manifesto, but to present a national programme for rebuilding The Gambia and restoring the promise of the country's democracy.
“This document answers a fundamental question,” he says. “What kind of country do we want to leave for our children? And what must we do to build it?"
Bensouda highlighted that Gambians continue to face a high cost of living, youth unemployment, challenges in farming, struggling businesses and demands for reliable electricity, clean water, quality health care and security, despite the country's potential and hard-working population.
"Our people work hard, yet families continue to struggle with the cost of living,” he pinpointed, saying: “Young people search for meaningful opportunities. Farmers face persistent challenges. The Gambia does not lack hard-working people or potential. What we need is leadership that turns potential into progress, resources into opportunity, and promises into measurable results."
According to Bensouda, the Coalition’s vision is structured around three pillars: governance and trust, human development, and economic integrity, which he said can be summarised into three simple commitments that every Gambian can remember: trust in how the country is governed, investment in people, and prosperity for the nation.
"Coalition 2026 is here to transform The Gambia,” he assures all and sundry, saying: “Our manifesto contains three interconnected pillars. Governance and trust, human development, and economic integrity. But we want every Gambian to understand their meaning through three simple commitments - prosperity, a productive economy that creates jobs, and improved living standards."
Bensouda described the manifesto as a public contract with timelines for accountability, with an ambition to achieve middle-income status and end all forms of poverty within 10 years.
"Our commitment is to end all kinds of poverty in our country within 10 years. Our ambition is substantial, but it must be matched by sound policies, disciplined implementation, and public accountability. We will measure success not by promises we make, but by the improvements Gambians experience in their daily lives," he promised, with full determination to deliver once given the opportunity to serve the nation from the apex.
At the launch, Coalition 2026 also announced the signing of a coalition agreement with the APP Sobeyaa faction, led by Dr Ali Ngumbo Touray, as part of efforts to build a broader national movement for change.