Modou S. Joof Urges Journalists to Challenge Campaign Promises Before Election Day

Gambia Press Union Secretary General Modou S. Joof is calling on journalists to do more than relay statements from campaign rallies as the country approaches its December 5 presidential election. In an interview with QTV’s This Morning, he said voters need reporting that tests political promises and gives them reliable information for making choices at the ballot box. Joof argued that news coverage should scrutinize candidates’ policies, records and commitments instead of simply repeating their rhetoric. He said journalists can help shape national debate by focusing on matters with a direct bearing on people’s lives, including poverty, healthcare and education. He also urged reporters to ask political leaders what they plan to do about recommendations from the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission and the Janneh Commission. According to Joof, a number of recommendations from the inquiries into past abuses and former president Yahya Jammeh’s financial dealings remain only partly implemented, while those issues receive limited attention in political discussions. The GPU secretary general stressed that election reporting must be fair, transparent and politically impartial. He cautioned against media platforms being used to spread false information or inflammatory and divisive messages, saying journalists should independently verify claims before publishing or broadcasting them. Joof noted that misleading claims can come from people already in power as well as those seeking office. With political competition likely to intensify during the campaign, he said responsible reporting is particularly important to protect social cohesion. Joof also praised the Inspector General of Police for improving cooperation with the GPU on media safety, saying nearly every major union activity this year had involved engagement between the police and journalists’ representatives.