Representatives from political parties, political movements, civil society organizations, and concerned citizens gathered at Paradise Suites Hotel on Saturday, August 29, 2026, to validate a report concerning the Team Gambia 2026 initiative. The report summarized a six-month consultative exercise focused on coalition building. Participants received the document with keen interest, discussing its contents and deliberating on future steps with sincerity. Those assembled unanimously endorsed a recommendation for a national conference of willing stakeholders on Saturday, September 12, 2026. This conference aims to craft an agreement to establish Team Gambia 2026 as a Coalition under section 155 of the Elections Act and approve a work plan for the electoral cycle beginning in 2026.
Current Electoral Landscape
Stakeholders at the validation event unanimously agreed that a level playing field does not currently exist in The Gambia for conducting the free, fair, and genuine multi-party contest necessary to deliver the undiluted choice of the people. They also acknowledged that the self-perpetuating rule, which Coalition 2016 aimed to prevent by limiting the flag-bearer's tenure, has been revitalized. This situation arose from the complete failure or blatant refusal to implement even minimal constitutional reforms to introduce an executive term limit since 2016.
Participants recognized that for The Gambia's political system to begin anew after the 2026 presidential elections, all Gambians, both domestically and internationally, who are committed to serving and saving their country must resolutely unite. They stated the necessity of working as a team to rescue the nation from self-perpetuating rule. This collective effort should aim to establish an inclusive transitional government, whose sole purpose would be to provide quality public services and level the ground for electoral contests through time-bound constitutional and institutional reforms, all for the common good.
Proposed Coalition Structure
Team Gambia 2026, once established, will organize its operations into several specialized teams, according to the initiative's proposed structure. These teams are designed to address various sectors and demographics within the country. The planned forums include Team Gambia 2026 Presidential Forum, Team Gambia 2026 National Assembly Forum, and Team Gambia 2026 Mayors’, Mayoress’, Chairpersons’ and Councillors’ Forum. Further specialized groups will comprise Team Gambia 2026 Expert Bank Forum, Team Gambia 2026 Farmers’ Forum, and Team Gambia 2026 Workers’ Forum. Additionally, the initiative plans to establish Team Gambia 2026 Youth Forum, Team Gambia 2026 Women Forum, Team Gambia 2026 Persons With Disability Forum, Team Gambia 2026 Diaspora Forum, and Team Gambia 2026 TRRC Victims’ Forum. This multi-forum approach aims to ensure broad representation and focused engagement across different segments of Gambian society.
Next Steps and Endorsement
A press release detailing the validation meeting and the planned national conference was approved for dissemination on September 8, 2026. The approval came from signatories of a consent form, paving the way for public communication regarding the Team Gambia 2026 initiative's progress. This official communication follows the unanimous endorsement by participants at the validation event to hold a national conference on September 12, 2026. The conference aims to formalize the coalition under section 155 of the Elections Act and establish a work plan for the upcoming electoral cycle.
