Hamat Bah faces criticism over anti-foreigner remarks in The Gambia

The Gambia’s Minister of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs, Hamat Bah, has been flagged for making remarks perceived as anti-foreigner rhetoric. During a political gathering in Farafenni, Bah stated that the country ‘will never be Lebanon’ and that ‘nobody will give this country to foreigners.’

Media monitoring organization Malagen flagged the comments, noting that framing political leadership through the lens of ‘foreignness’ or ancestry can be exclusionary. The remarks come as political parties mobilize ahead of the December 5, 2026, presidential election.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has condemned the statements, accusing Bah and Fisheries Minister Musa Drammeh of using ethnic and xenophobic fear-mongering to avoid addressing government performance. The UDP argued that the debate should focus on governance, the economy, and healthcare rather than ethnicity or nationality. Additionally, the UDP called for accountability regarding Bah’s previous record as tourism minister, specifically citing incomplete eco-lodge projects involving the Lerr Group.