Mariama Marong
The Inter-Party Committee (IPC) convened on Thursday, October 23, 2025, a landmark national forum aimed at combating hate speech in the lead-up to the 2025 Presidential Elections. The event, held in partnership with the UN Peacebuilding Fund and UNESCO Dakar, forms part of the broader “14 Peace Project,” which seeks to strengthen national infrastructure for peace and foster social cohesion throughout The Gambia.
Bringing together representatives from 19 political parties, the forum focused on the urgent need to confront hate speech and promote inclusive politics in a tense election year. The gathering provided a rare platform for political stakeholders to engage in dialogue about the dangers of hate speech, misinformation, and negative stereotyping, which have increasingly threatened The Gambia’s fragile social fabric.
Hon. Saikou Bah, speaking on behalf of the IPC, emphasized the committee’s commitment to providing a safe and constructive space for dialogue. He highlighted the IPC’s recent sensitisation workshops, which reached over 500 political party leaders across all eight administrative regions, including youth and women representatives. “Combating hate speech and negative stereotyping is a shared political responsibility,” Bah said, urging all parties to reject violence and work together toward a brighter, more inclusive future. “Hate speech breeds polarization, marginalization, and erodes trust among the population,” he warned.
Mr. Cherno Jallow, Vice Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), echoed these sentiments, stressing the crucial role political parties play in tackling hate speech. He described the theme of the meeting as timely and relevant, stating, “Hate speech cannot foster inclusivity. That should be clear from the onset.” Jallow further cautioned that disinformation and fake news threaten not only social trust but also the credibility of national institutions such as the IEC. “If you discredit that institution, you are already undermining the credibility of the electoral process,” he said, calling on all political actors to prioritize the fight against hate speech, both within the IPC and internally in their respective parties.
Hon. Halifa Sallah, IPC adviser, underlined the importance of adhering to the IPC and IEC code of conduct, established since 1996, as a foundation for peaceful political engagement. “A peaceful society is inconceivable without that code of conduct being internalised and implemented,” Sallah remarked, adding that political parties must focus on building the will of the people, not on sectarian or ethnic divisions.
As The Gambia approaches its pivotal 2025 Presidential Elections, the IPC’s forum marks a significant step toward ensuring a peaceful, inclusive, and credible electoral process. The collective message from the country’s political leadership is clear: combating hate speech is a shared responsibility vital to the nation’s unity and democratic future.
