By Ndey Jobarteh

I have been closely following the ongoing debate over President Barrow’s Draft Constitution 2024. I must say, this is not a political standoff between President Barrow and Lawyer Ousainou Darboe. This is not about parties or personalities. This is about the Soul of our Nation.

Much has been said about Barrow’s Draft Constitution 2024. Some urge compromise. Others claim it’s just politics. But we must not be distracted. The stakes are far too high. A Constitution is not written for today’s leaders, it is written for generations. It must stand as a shield for the people, not a sword for the powerful.

To those calling for compromise, I ask, what exactly are we being asked to compromise? Are we to trade away Accountability? Are we to dilute Transparency? Are we to hand over our Future in the name of political convenience? Compromise is valuable when it unites and uplifts, but when it weakens the very protections we need as a nation, it becomes dangerous.

Let us not forget the 2020 Draft Constitution. It was born out of nationwide consultation. It was inclusive, people driven, and guided by the voices of women, youth, elders, and citizens from every region of The Gambia. It was not perfect, but it was honest. It was ours.

The Barrow’s Draft Constitution 2024, by contrast, removes key pillars of that collective vision. It was the President and his Cabinet who arrogantly bypassed the voices of the people, locking themselves in Cabinet meetings and unilaterally drafting a Constitution tailored to their own interests, not the nation. No public dialogue. No public meetings. No transparency. Just power shaping law in the shadows. It weakens accountability, concentrates power in the presidency, and dilutes transparency.
Where the 2020 Draft sought to protect us from abuse of power, the Barrows 2024 Draft version reopens the doors we fought so hard to close.

Some argue that this debate is just about Barrow versus Darboe. But if that is how we see it, we have already lost sight of the bigger picture. Constitutions must not serve political interests, they must serve citizens. They must outlast elections and shield us all, no matter who is in power.

We need a document that holds every leader accountable, regardless of party or popularity.
A Constitution that protects our children, empowers our communities, and safeguards our democracy.
Let us not write a Constitution for convenience.
Let us write a Constitution for courage.
Let us not legislate for a single Administration.
Let us build a legacy for the next generation.

President Barrow cannot simply discard the 2020 People’s Constitution because it did not serve his personal interest. There was no campaign to push it forward, no meaningful effort to support its passage, unlike what we are witnessing now with the Barrows Draft Constitution 2024. There was no talk of compromise from the President back then, even though he stood alone against the will of more than two million Gambians.

Now more than ever, we must return to the people’s vision. We compromised in 2016 when we put our faith in change, only to be met with bitter disappointment. We watched again in 2020 as President Barrow and his allies discarded the People’s Constitution.

We said “Never again.” Yet here we are, being asked to settle once more. But this time, we say NO. No compromise. No complicity. Let us demand a Constitution that reflects our values, our voices, and our dreams for a better Gambia. The future does not belong to the few who hold power. It belongs to all of us. And it starts with a Constitution that puts the people first.

No compromise! No complicity!

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