Coalition without purpose: A governance warning
The Gambia’s 2016 coalition proved this. It was not convenience — it was conviction. Its objective was clear: end authoritarian rule, restore dignity, rights, and democratic governance. Guided by a custodian of constitutionalism, it operated within the rule of law. The result? Freedom of speech, association, movement. Civic space reopened. Hope restored. That is what a coalition should be: a national instrument for transformation, not a political arrangement for power. Today, many proposed coalitions lack that clarity. No harmonised policy. No development agenda. Just one thread: defeat the incumbent. This is politically shallow and misaligned with good governance. Governance is stewardship, not power transfer for its own sake. A coalition without a defined agenda signals institutional weakness. If parties cannot agree before power, how will they govern after? Youth unemployment, healthcare, education reform cannot be solved by rhetoric. They need planning, expertise, collaboration. As Mandela said, leadership is about the “substance of responsibility,” not the optics of unity. Cheikh Anta Diop warned against short-term expediency. Frantz Fanon cautioned that alliances without development programs become tools of elite competition. Nkrumah stressed planning and disciplined governance. Sankara called for bold, principled transformation anchored in policy, not opportunism. We must also reject the dangerous narrative of government versus opposition as enemies. Government is an extension of the people’s will. Opposition should provide accountability, not destruction. Lincoln defined democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Responsibility is shared. Consider The Gambia: under 3 million people, fewer than 1 million voters, yet over 20 political parties. Compare Nigeria — 200 million citizens, 21 parties in 2026. Does our fragmentation reflect ideology, or personal ambition? Democracy is strengthened by quality of leadership and institutions, not quantity of parties. In small states, excessive fragmentation weakens cohesion and encourages unstable alliances built on electoral math, not national interest. Coalitions must emerge from purpose, not convenience. And citizens must engage beyond voting. Low turnout forfeits influence. But voting alone is insufficient. Economic growth needs entrepreneurship. Social cohesion needs mutual respect. As Aristotle noted, “man is by nature a political animal.” We shape governance. Poorly conceived coalitions breed dependency; the myth that change comes only by replacing leaders. Young people must see governance as a living system needing their intellect and integrity. Don’t be spectators. Nations are built on vision, discipline, and commitment to the common good. A coalition without purpose cannot deliver progress. A disengaged citizenry cannot demand excellence. The question is not merely who governs — but how, why, and with whose participation. This is an excerpt from an Opinion written by Omar FaFa M’Bai, a Legal Practitioner and governance advocate based in Dubai, UAE.
Black News 
The Gambia’s 2016 coalition proved this. It was not convenience — it was conviction. Its objective was clear: end authoritarian rule, restore dignity, rights, and democratic governance. Guided by a custodian of constitutionalism, it operated within the rule of law. The result? Freedom of speech, association, movement. Civic space reopened. Hope restored. That is what a coalition should be: a national instrument for transformation, not a political arrangement for power.
Today, many proposed coalitions lack that clarity. No harmonised policy. No development agenda. Just one thread: defeat the incumbent. This is politically shallow and misaligned with good governance. Governance is stewardship, not power transfer for its own sake.
A coalition without a defined agenda signals institutional weakness. If parties cannot agree before power, how will they govern after? Youth unemployment, healthcare, education reform cannot be solved by rhetoric. They need planning, expertise, collaboration. As Mandela said, leadership is about the “substance of responsibility,” not the optics of unity.
Cheikh Anta Diop warned against short-term expediency. Frantz Fanon cautioned that alliances without development programs become tools of elite competition. Nkrumah stressed planning and disciplined governance. Sankara called for bold, principled transformation anchored in policy, not opportunism.
We must also reject the dangerous narrative of government versus opposition as enemies. Government is an extension of the people’s will. Opposition should provide accountability, not destruction. Lincoln defined democracy as “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Responsibility is shared.
Consider The Gambia: under 3 million people, fewer than 1 million voters, yet over 20 political parties. Compare Nigeria — 200 million citizens, 21 parties in 2026. Does our fragmentation reflect ideology, or personal ambition? Democracy is strengthened by quality of leadership and institutions, not quantity of parties. In small states, excessive fragmentation weakens cohesion and encourages unstable alliances built on electoral math, not national interest.
Coalitions must emerge from purpose, not convenience. And citizens must engage beyond voting. Low turnout forfeits influence. But voting alone is insufficient. Economic growth needs entrepreneurship. Social cohesion needs mutual respect. As Aristotle noted, “man is by nature a political animal.” We shape governance.
Poorly conceived coalitions breed dependency; the myth that change comes only by replacing leaders. Young people must see governance as a living system needing their intellect and integrity. Don’t be spectators.
Nations are built on vision, discipline, and commitment to the common good. A coalition without purpose cannot deliver progress. A disengaged citizenry cannot demand excellence.
The question is not merely who governs — but how, why, and with whose participation.
This is an excerpt from an Opinion written by Omar FaFa M’Bai, a Legal Practitioner and governance advocate based in Dubai, UAE.
