Barrow Pledges New Constitution with Term Limits if Re-elected for Third Term

By Pa Modou Cham

BANJUL, November 10, 2026 – President Adama Barrow has pledged to introduce a new constitution containing presidential term limits if re-elected for a third term in the December 5 presidential election, provided his government secures the required parliamentary majority.

Barrow made the commitment on Tuesday after submitting his nomination papers to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), where he outlined his priorities for another five-year mandate and called on Gambians to maintain peace and stability throughout the electoral process.

Responding to a question about his long-standing support for presidential term limits and whether he would ensure that a third term would be his last, Barrow said he remained committed to the principle, although he acknowledged that some established democracies operate without presidential term limits.

“I think I’ve always made myself very clear that I believe in term limits. But that does not mean term limits are the best system of governance,” he said, citing countries such as England and Germany as examples of democratic systems without presidential term limits.

However, he maintained that the Gambian people ultimately determine who governs the country through elections.

Barrow said that if his government secured an absolute majority in the National Assembly sufficient to meet the constitutional threshold for adopting a new constitution, he would ensure that a new constitution was presented to the Gambian people.

“I promise you, if I have a majority in the National Assembly, if I have absolute majority that meets the threshold of passing a constitution, I will give the Gambian people a new constitution. And there will be term limits in that constitution,” he said.

In his address following the submission of his nomination papers, the incumbent president urged Gambians and residents of the country to remain law-abiding and protect the country’s social cohesion.

He described peace and stability as essential to the country’s democratic process, stressing that national unity must be preserved as political activities intensify ahead of the December polls.

Outlining his proposed priorities for another five-year term, Barrow said his government would continue implementing its development agenda, with emphasis on expanding road infrastructure, electricity networks and connectivity to improve access to essential social services.

He also promised to modernise agriculture and facilitate access to markets as part of efforts to strengthen food security.

On youth empowerment, the President said his administration would invest in human capacity development to enable young people to create self-employment opportunities and participate more actively in the country’s economic growth.

He further pledged to strengthen state institutions through sound policies, legislation and respect for the rule of law within a democratic environment.

Barrow’s nomination marks another step in his bid to secure a third consecutive term in office since assuming the presidency in 2017.

His pledge on constitutional reform and presidential term limits is likely to feature prominently in the campaign debate, particularly given the unresolved constitutional reform process and continuing public discussions about presidential tenure in The Gambia.

The December 5 election will determine whether Barrow secures another five-year mandate.