UDP Legends Profile: Lamin Ndambu Dibba

Hon. Lamin Ndambu Dibba (d. 2020) was one of the most respected and steadfast figures in the history of The Gambia’s opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). A founding member, veteran politician, former National Assembly Member, senior party administrator, campaign manager, and cabinet minister, Lamin Dibba dedicated much of his life to public service and the struggle for democracy in The Gambia.

A native of Salikenni in Central Badibou, Lamin Dibba was a community development worker before entering electoral politics. He became a UDP National Assembly Member for Central Badibou, winning a by-election in 2001 following the death of Abdou K. Kassama. He would go on to become one of the party’s most recognizable political figures and a powerful voice for his constituents.

Within the UDP, Lamin Dibba served in several important capacities. He was a longtime campaign manager and later became the party’s Senior Administrative Secretary, a position he held at the time of his death. His organizational experience, political discipline, and deep knowledge of the party made him one of the key figures behind the UDP’s continued growth and resilience.

Lamin was a man who believed in standing by his convictions. He was known for his courage, his willingness to speak the truth, and his determination not to abandon a struggle simply because the circumstances became difficult. His political colleagues remembered him as a man of principle who could be relied upon to keep his word.

That commitment was tested in April 2016, following the peaceful protests demanding justice for Solo Sandeng and greater respect for democratic rights. Lamin Dibba was among the senior UDP leaders and activists arrested by the Yahya Jammeh regime. He was subsequently prosecuted and sentenced to three years in prison alongside UDP Party Leader H.E ANM Ousainu Darboe and other party officials.

His imprisonment became another chapter in the long history of political persecution suffered by UDP members during the Jammeh era. Yet Lamin remained unbroken. At his funeral, H.E Darboe recalled that when the detained UDP leaders were being taken away and were suffering physical abuse, Lamin remained strong and encouraged his colleagues with the assurance that “all this will end one day.”

And indeed it ended. After the historic political transition of 2017, Lamin Dibba continued his service to the country. He served as Minister of Lands and Regional Government from 2017 to 2018 and subsequently as Minister of Agriculture from July 2018 to March 2019. His transition from opposition politician and political prisoner to cabinet minister reflected both his experience and his commitment to national service.

But Lamin never forgot where he came from or the political movement that had shaped his public life. He returned to active party work and continued serving the UDP as its Senior Administrative Secretary. His final years were marked by continued dedication to the party and its struggle for democratic change.

Lamin Ndambu Dibba passed away in Germany on November 14, 2020, after a short illness. His death was deeply mourned by the UDP and by Gambians across the political spectrum. Party Leader H.E Darboe described him as a man who had “gallantly fought for the country” and whose leadership would be greatly missed.

His legacy is perhaps best captured by the words of those who knew him, a courageous politician, a trusted colleague, a loyal party man, a public servant, and a man who remained committed to his principles even when doing so came at great personal cost.

Hon. Lamin Ndambu Dibba, thank you for your tremendous service to our country and to the United Democratic Party. Thank you for your courage, loyalty, wisdom, resilience, and unwavering commitment to democracy.

You organized the movement.

You represented your people.

You endured imprisonment for your convictions.

You served your country in government.

And until your final days, you remained committed to the struggle for a better Gambia.

As we celebrate 30 years of the United Democratic Party, we remember you as one of the party’s great builders and one of the men who helped carry its struggle through some of the most difficult chapters of Gambian history.

You were a founder.

You were an organizer.

You were a parliamentarian.

You were a political prisoner.

You were a minister.

You were a patriot.

You were a giant of the UDP struggle.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Hon. Lamin Ndambu Dibba.

May Allah forgive your shortcomings, grant you Jannatul Firdaus, and may your courage, sacrifice, and dedication continue to inspire generations of Gambians to stand for democracy, justice, truth, and a better Gambia.