Rohey Malick Lowe Urges Women to Use Their Votes to Demand Change

Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe has called on Gambian women and young people to make their votes count, saying the country’s challenges demand a response from leaders and communities alike. Speaking at a United Democratic Party gathering in Dippa Kunda, she argued that women carry a heavy share of the burden when families face insecurity, hardship and gaps in essential services. Lowe urged women to stand together and take an active role in shaping the country’s political future. She pointed to reports of killings as a source of alarm, reminding the audience that behind every victim is a family left to grieve. Mothers, she said, are often among those suffering most when violence claims a life. She framed solidarity as a shared responsibility, saying women should feel one another’s pain rather than face such tragedies alone. The mayor also addressed the dangerous journeys young Gambians undertake in search of opportunities abroad. According to Lowe, families can go several days without news of a child who has left by boat, only to learn that a vessel has capsized and many people have died. She described the anguish experienced by mothers in those circumstances and argued that the conditions driving young people toward irregular migration need urgent attention from political leaders. Lowe further highlighted the lack of reliable clean water in some rural communities. She contrasted the experience of families without dependable access to water with that of households where running water is readily available, urging better-served communities not to ignore the difficulties faced elsewhere. Her appeal tied these concerns to political participation: she said women could help bring change by voting and supporting leaders they believe can address the problems affecting their families and communities. The remarks, reported from the UDP meeting, placed women’s solidarity and electoral influence at the centre of her message.