Alhaji Jobe Kanteh was one of the pioneering figures in the birth and development of The Gambia’s opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). A founding member and respected senior figure of the party, he was among the small group of Gambians who took the courageous first steps toward creating a new democratic political movement in 1996.
Following the 1994 military takeover and the subsequent ban on political activities, Gambian political leaders and activists were forced to navigate a highly restrictive and uncertain environment. When political activity resumed in 1996, representatives of the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Gambia People’s Party (GPP), and National Convention Party (NCP) began discussions about forming a new political force.
Jobe Kanteh was among those present at the historic maiden meeting that initiated the process of creating the UDP. The meeting was held in secrecy at the residence of Sidia Sagnia and brought together representatives of the three political traditions. Alongside other pioneers including Sidia Sagnia, Jallow Sanneh, Ansunding Keita, Bemba Tambedou, Femi Peters and Amadou Cora, Jobe Kanteh helped lay the foundation for what would become the United Democratic Party.
That first meeting was a defining moment in Gambian political history. The participants agreed on the need to create a broad-based democratic movement capable of challenging authoritarian rule and providing Gambians with a credible political alternative.
The circumstances demanded courage. Although the formal ban on political activity had been lifted, the military authorities remained in power, and those who openly opposed the regime risked intimidation and persecution. The pioneers of the UDP nevertheless pressed forward, driven by their belief that The Gambia deserved democratic government, political freedom, and respect for the rights of its citizens.
Jobe Kanteh subsequently became one of the respected senior figures within the UDP. His long association with the party earned him a place among its elders and founding generation. Even decades later, party leaders continued to consult him on important political matters. In 2025, UDP Party Leader Ousainou Darboe referred to him as a founding member of the party and invited him, alongside other senior party figures, to help advise on internal political matters.
His contribution therefore extends beyond the title of “founding member.” Jobe Kanteh belonged to the generation that helped transform an idea into an organized political movement, one that would survive years of authoritarian rule, political repression, arrests, intimidation, and enormous personal sacrifice by its members.
The UDP that exists today is built on foundations laid by these early pioneers. Their meetings, discussions, sacrifices, and determination created a political institution that has endured for three decades and continues to play a central role in The Gambia’s democratic journey.
Alhaji Jobe Kanteh, thank you for your service to our country and for your contribution to the birth and development of the United Democratic Party. You were among those who answered the call at a defining moment in our nation’s history and helped lay the foundation for a democratic political movement.
As we celebrate 30 years of the United Democratic Party, we remember the pioneers who dared to organize when doing so was difficult, who believed in a democratic Gambia, and who helped build a party that would become a lasting force in our national politics.
You were there at the beginning.
You helped lay the foundation.
You helped build the movement.
You are part of the UDP story.
Today, we honor Alhaji Jobe Kanteh and all the founding pioneers whose courage, vision, and commitment gave birth to the United Democratic Party.
Happy 30th Anniversary, Alhaji Jobe Kanteh.
May your contribution to the birth and growth of the UDP remain remembered by generations of Gambians, and may the democratic ideals that inspired the party’s founders continue to guide our nation toward unity, justice, freedom, and progress.
UDP Media & Communications Team