CANDIDATES SPEAK AS FOOTBALL STAKEHOLDERS ELECT NEW PRESIDENT SATURDAY  

As football stakeholders elect a new president and other executive committee members of The Gambia Football Federation Saturday, all three presidential candidates have shared their final messages to the voters with The Standard.

Musa Jammeh – Team Falconz
In his message Musa Jammeh, of Team Falconz, supported by the outgoing president Lamin Kaba Bajo, called on the stakeholders to place their confidence in his team to continue the  remarkable progress achieved under the leadership of Mr Bajo.

“As a proud member of that successful team, I have witnessed first-hand the reforms, investments and institutional progress that have strengthened Gambian football. Our candidacy is therefore not about abandoning what works; it is about preserving the gains, correcting the shortcomings and building boldly on the foundation already established.

I respectfully ask you to vote for me Colonel Musa M. Balla Jammeh and Team Falconz for continuity, stability and transformation. We offer experienced leadership, institutional knowledge, fresh energy and a clear commitment to taking Gambian football to the next level. Together, we can consolidate our achievements, strengthen our institutions, improve the welfare of our football stakeholders and create sustainable opportunities for our players, clubs, coaches, referees and communities.

Sabidou Kamaso – Team Restore Confidence
In his final message, Mr. Kamaso asked the football stakeholders to reflect on the positives his team has already been able to bring to Gambian football in terms of stimulating interest and passion which has in some way increased awareness and stakeholder participation. 

“My passion to lead Gambian football has always been fueled by the sacrifices each and every one of you has made and continues to make to move Gambian football in the right direction.  Your invaluable contributions in the form of time, energy and resources you deprive your families of, to spend on football, cannot be repaid but deserve to be rewarded with the right leadership, and I believe I am that servant leader!

My team and I have, to the best of our ability, sold our manifesto since the campaign began and all the points therein are not mere promises but commitments we will not relent to deliver because the “Starting Eleven” is a practical 11-point plan to reset, rebuild and move Gambian football with transparency, inclusion and results.

Over the years, I have worked on the ground to help share my knowledge and experience in football administration, support grassroots clubs with equipment, moved over 30 young players to international markets having earlier served as an administrator for a local club voluntarily for more than 13 years.  However, it is my strong conviction that an economically viable local professional league with clubs being able to participate in Caf Interclub championships, well-funded and organised RFAs and Allied associations would be more beneficial to our athletes and the ecosystem.

Your precious vote is not just for my humble self.  It is a vote for progress, for structure, and for football that truly serves the clubs, players, referees, administrators, medics and people of The Gambia.

Please vote for me and Team Restore Confidence so we can change our football together and make history”.

Kemo Ceesay, The COACH
Mr Ceesay’s final message to the football stakeholders began by thanking everyone who supported his team throughout this campaign.

”The Coach is more than a campaign; it is a vision for the transformation and development of Gambian football.

Elections come and go, but Gambian football remains, as it belongs to every player, coach, referee, administrator, club, supporter, legend, stakeholder, and lover of the beautiful game. That is why, as we have always emphasised, the unification of the football family must be paramount,” Ceesay said.

He said his campaign’s manifesto is not simply a list of promises, but a  roadmap for building a stronger, more professional, sustainable, inclusive, and competitive football system.

“We are committed to implementing a sixteen- pillar policy that will address governance, transparency, professional administrative reforms  and financial stability among others.

These pillars are essential to the long-term development of football in The Gambia and they represent our commitment to building stronger institutions, creating opportunities for our young people, improving player welfare, developing our leagues, empowering women and grassroots football, and creating a football administration that serves everyone.

As a club owner, I understand the realities, challenges, needs, and aspirations of football administration. I know that meaningful change requires courage, professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and a genuine commitment to putting football first.

Whatever the outcome of the election, our love for Gambian football will remain unwavering. If entrusted with the responsibility to lead, we will serve with humility, transparency, accountability, and determination.

We will listen, unite, and work with every section of the football family.

This election is not simply about choosing individuals. It is about choosing the direction and future of Gambian football.

We are asking you to vote for The Coach because we have a vision, a clear plan, and the determination to turn that vision into reality. Vote for a football administration built on transparency and accountability. Vote for The Coach”.