Momodou Sabally says The Gambia has made it “too easy” for people to form political parties and contest elections.

Interesting. Very interesting.

But let us ask a simple Gambian question:

Since when did football-club management became the entrance exam for becoming President?

The Gambia is a democracy, not a private club where a few people decide who is qualified to enter.

Sabally himself did not enter politics because he first passed some national leadership examination.

He rose through the political system under Yahya Jammeh and eventually became one of the most powerful young government officials in the country.

Then Jammeh’s era ended.

Sabally moved into the opposition, joined the UDP, and then joined the NPP.

That is politics. People move. Parties change. Political fortunes change.

So imagine if somebody had told a young Sabally:

“Sorry, you cannot participate because you haven’t managed enough organisations.”

Would that have been fair?

Of course not.

Remember in 2022, when Sabally himself, physically hit the IEC table with his hands after he was told by the IEC that he cannot participate as a candidate for the Busumbala constituency as a UDP candidate because he has been barred by the janneh commission to serve public office?

How did he feel that day?

And that is exactly why we should be careful with this argument.

THE REAL TEST IS THE VOTER!

If a man forms a political party and nobody believes in him, Gambians will reject him.

If he campaigns and cannot convince anybody, Gambians will reject him.

If he promises nonsense, Gambians would say NO!

That is what elections are for.

You don’t need to prevent someone from entering the race simply because you think he cannot win.

Let him enter. Let the people decide.

Imagine telling a young Gambian:

“You cannot contest because you have never managed a football club.”

Brother, running a football club and running a country are two completely different things.

A person may be a terrible football administrator but an excellent economist.

Another may never have led a youth group but may have brilliant ideas about education.

Another may never have owned a business but may understand agriculture better than many politicians.

Leadership does not come with one uniform.

If The Gambia had a rule saying “only people with long political experience should lead” the country, would a young military officer named Yahya Jammeh have passed the test?

Yet Gambians voted for him.

That is the beauty, and sometimes the danger, of democracy.

The people decide.

And if we are honest, that is the part politicians sometimes forget.

They want the people to have the power to vote, but only after politicians have decided who should be allowed to appear on the menu.

No.

Let the menu be open.

Let the candidates come.

Let them debate.

Let them campaign.

Let them expose themselves.

And then, on election day, give the Gambian people to make a decision!