28 Facts About Ousainou Darboe

Ousainou Darboe was born on 8 August 1948 and is a Gambian politician and leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party.

Ousainou Darboe previously served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's Affairs from June 2018 to March 2019, under President Adama Barrow.

Ousainou Darboe served as President Barrow's Minister of Foreign Affairs from February 2017 to June 2018.

Ousainou Darboe has served as advisor to several companies and government agencies, and was for a time the vice president of the Gambia Bar Association.

Ousainou Darboe founded the United Democratic Party in 1996 and stood in presidential elections the same year, 2001,2006, and 2021 presidential elections.

Ousainou Darboe was imprisoned in 2016, but released after Barrow's victory.

Ousainou Darboe was born in 1948, in Dobbo, the son of Numukunda Ousainou Darboe, who served as a member of parliament for Lower Falluda West, and as communications secretary for Pierre Sarr N'Jie's United Party.

Ousainou Darboe was the recipient of a Commonwealth scholarship to study law at the University of Lagos in Nigeria.

Ousainou Darboe later studied a master's degree in law from the University of Ottawa, Canada.

Ousainou Darboe is the first Gambian lawyer from the Mandinka ethnic group.

Ousainou Darboe was called to the Federal Bar of Nigeria in 1973 and returned to the Gambia in May 1973 to take up a role as a state prosecutor.

Ousainou Darboe was called to the Gambian bar in November 1973, becoming the first Gambian lawyer from the Mandinka ethnic group.

Ousainou Darboe then worked at the Attorney General's Chambers, firstly as a state counsel, then as acting registrar-general, and then as a legal draftsman, before resigning in 1980 in protests against the government's use of draconian legislation to suppress opposition.

Ousainou Darboe then entered a private practice, working as a human rights barrister.

Ousainou Darboe is credited with having saved the lives of over 200 Gambians from the death penalty.

Ousainou Darboe represented the majority of those detained under 'Emergency Powers' following the coup.

Ousainou Darboe has worked as a legal advisor to many major Gambian companies and organisations, including Gamtel, Continent Bank, Gambia Public Transport Corporation, and the Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation.

Ousainou Darboe continued to provide advice and representation on a pro bono basis.

Ousainou Darboe served the Gambia Bar Association for several years as its vice president and was a member of the National Advisory Committee on the selection of judges to the International Court of Justice.

Ousainou Darboe ran again in the 2001 election, representing a three-way coalition of the UDP, the People's Progressive Party, and the Gambian People's Party.

Ousainou Darboe rejected the official results of the election, saying that the election was not free and fair and that there was widespread voter intimidation.

Ousainou Darboe was arrested in April 2016 for participating in protests demanding the body of his party's Youth Leader, Ebrima Solo Sandeng, who was arrested by the state security agents, tortured and eventually died in custody, a day after his arrest.

Ousainou Darboe remained in jail, during the period leading up to the December 2016 presidential election, and in his absence, Adama Barrow, a businessman without political experience, was designated as the party's presidential candidate.

On 1 February 2017, Ousainou Darboe was sworn in as Barrow's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In late 2017, Ousainou Darboe courted controversy when he demanded that the president of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, resign due to massive anti-government protests.

Rather, UDP member Alagie S Darboe was chosen to serve as the Minority Leader.

Ousainou Darboe's eldest daughter, Mariama, is a graduate of Tulane University in the United States.

Ousainou Darboe is a sports enthusiast and served as vice president of the Gambian National Olympic and Sports Committee for several years, as well as chairman of the Gambia Wrestling Federation.