UDP Legends Profile: Hon. Amadou Sanneh
Hon. Amadou Sanneh is one of the enduring figures of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and one of the party’s longest-serving senior officials. A founding-era member, longtime National Treasurer, professional accountant, former political prisoner, and former Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of The Gambia, Hon. Sanneh has dedicated decades of his life to public service and the struggle for democracy.
Hon. Sanneh joined the UDP in 1996, shortly after its formation, and was appointed National Treasurer. From the party’s earliest days, he took on the responsibility of managing its financial affairs while helping to build the organization under extremely difficult political conditions. He has remained associated with the position for decades and continues to serve as the UDP’s National Treasurer.
A trained and highly experienced accountant, Hon. Sanneh brought considerable professional expertise to both public service and the UDP. He previously served in several senior government positions, including Accountant General, Financial Adviser at the Office of the President, and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade. He later established his own accounting practice in 1996.
But his contribution to the UDP cannot be measured simply by his professional credentials. He remained with the party through some of the most difficult years of Gambian political history, when opposition politicians and supporters faced intimidation, harassment, arrests, and restrictions on political activity.
Hon. Sanneh himself became a victim of political persecution. In September 2013, he was arrested by the National Intelligence Agency and detained in connection with a letter he had written in support of a UDP supporter seeking asylum abroad. He was subsequently convicted of sedition and sentenced to five years in prison. Amnesty International described the conviction as part of the Gambian government’s persecution of political opponents and called for his immediate and unconditional release.
During his detention, Hon. Sanneh endured years of imprisonment under the Jammeh regime. He later testified before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) about his treatment in detention and the broader repression faced by the UDP and its supporters. He described a political environment characterized by fear, harassment, restrictions on opposition meetings, and the use of security forces against political opponents.
His imprisonment did not break his commitment to the democratic cause. After the political transition of 2017, Hon. Sanneh was released following a presidential pardon and was appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs in the new government, taking office on February 1, 2017. He later served as Minister of Trade, Regional Integration and Employment before leaving government in 2019.
His journey, from senior public servant, to opposition treasurer, to political prisoner, and ultimately to Minister of Finance in The Gambia’s Third Republic, is a remarkable reflection of the sacrifices and transformations that shaped the country’s democratic transition.
Throughout the UDP’s history, Hon. Sanneh has also played an important role in nurturing the party’s organizational and financial structures. His experience, discipline, and institutional knowledge have made him one of the party’s enduring senior figures.
Hon. Amadou Sanneh, thank you for your tremendous service to our country and to the United Democratic Party. Thank you for your courage, sacrifice, professionalism, resilience, and unwavering commitment to democratic principles.
You helped build the UDP from its earliest days. You stood with the party through years of repression. You endured imprisonment for your political convictions. And when democracy returned, you continued to serve your country at the highest levels of government.
As we celebrate 30 years of the United Democratic Party, we celebrate you as one of the party’s pioneering members, its longest-serving officers, and one of the many Gambians who paid a personal price for the democratic freedoms we enjoy today.
You are a pioneer.
You are a party builder.
You are a survivor.
You are a public servant.
You are a patriot.
You are part of the UDP story.
Happy 30th Anniversary, Hon. Amadou Sanneh.
May your decades of service, sacrifice, and dedication continue to inspire generations of Gambians to stand for democracy, justice, accountability, and a better Gambia.
UDP Media & Communications Team