The People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) is a

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...

the Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

. Since 2005, it has been part of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD). It was part of Coalition 2016 in the 2016 presidential election, whose candidate,

Adama Barrow Adama Barrow (, born 15 February 1965) is a The Gambia, Gambian politician and real estate developer who has served as President of The Gambia since 2017. Born in Mankamang Kunda, a village in Jimara district, he attended Crab Island Secondary ...

, defeated long-time incumbent

Yahya Jammeh Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born 25 May 1965) is a Gambian politician and former soldier, who served as President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017. He was the Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 1994 ...

. The PDOIS also publishes a party newspaper, '' Foroyaa'', which was noted for its opposition to the Jammeh regime.

History

The party was founded on 31 July 1986. It emerged from an earlier group, the People's Movement for Independence against Neo-Colonialism and Capitalism in The Gambia (PMINCC), whose members included Halifa Sallah, Sam Sarr, Amie Sillah, Adama Bah and Momodou Sarho. The PMINCC were also believed to be the publishers of the newspaper ''The Voice of the Future'', and six members were put on trial for its publication in 1984, although all were acquitted. Initially, the PDOIS had no official leader until December 1997, when Sidia Jatta was chosen as its first leader. It began publishing its own newspaper, '' Foroyaa'', in July 1987, where it was critical of the pro-Western foreign policy of Dawda Jawara, and opposed the Senegambia Confederation. In 1987, it put forward five candidates in the parliamentary election, but all were defeated. In 1992, it put forward 14 candidates, but again, all were defeated. Jatta stood in the presidential election that year, and came fourth, winning 5.24% of the vote. The PDOIS along with other political parties was banned following the 1994 coup by

and both Jatta and Sallah turned down the cabinet posts they were offered. The party had to reregister with the Provisional Independent Electoral Commission in 1996 following the lifting of the ban on political parties. Jatta won 3% of the vote in the 1996 and 2001 presidential elections. In the 1997 parliamentary election, Jatta won their first seat in the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

of Wuli West. In 2002, Jatta retained the seat and Sallah additionally won the seat of Serekunda Central. From 2002 to 2007, PDOIS was the largest opposition party in the National Assembly, and Sallah served as Leader of the Opposition. In 2005, the PDOIS joined the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD), and Sallah was selected as the NADD candidate in the 2006 presidential election, but only won 6% of the vote. In the 2007 parliamentary election, NADD only won one seat, Jatta's, with Sallah losing his.

Leadership

The party is led by a Central Committee, which is the highest working body of the party. It is composed of the following positions: * Chairperson – Sidia Jatta * Vice Chairperson * Secretary General – Halifa Sallah * Secretary to the Political Bureau * Secretary to the Information Bureau – Sam Sarr * Secretary to the Organizing Bureau * Secretary to the Bureau on Women and Child Affairs – Amie Sillah * Secretary to the Youth Bureau * Treasurer * Auditor * Other members as the party Congress determines

Electoral history

Presidential elections

National Assembly elections

References

External links

PDOIS website
{{Authority control Political parties in the Gambia Socialist parties in Africa *Main Socialism in the Gambia