Tension in The Gambia as Thousands Protest Power Blackouts, Chant ‘Barrow Must Go’

Thousands of people took to the streets in The Gambia overnight, burning tyres and chanting “Barrow must go” as anger mounted over worsening power outages that have affected the country since June.

The rolling blackouts, which have intensified in recent weeks amid the hot season, have reportedly lasted as long as 48 hours in some parts of the country.

Protests were reported in Banjul and surrounding cities from Monday night into Tuesday, with demonstrators setting fires and blocking roads in anger over the prolonged electricity shortages.

In the Westfield district on the outskirts of the capital, police reportedly fired tear gas as protesters moved towards the headquarters of the National Water and Electricity Corporation (NAWEC), the country’s electricity provider.

The demonstrations represent a significant escalation from previous protests over electricity shortages and come only months before the December elections, in which President Adama Barrow is seeking a third term.

Barrow on Tuesday described the worsening power crisis as both a “national security issue” and an “emergency”, saying it was “time for action”.

The president made the comments during a visit to the NAWEC power station in Brikama, near the capital. He is expected to address the nation later in the day on the situation.

NAWEC had attributed the blackouts in mid-August to increased electricity demand, particularly as a result of high temperatures, as well as “constraints on electricity imports”.

The corporation’s Managing Director, Gallo Saidy, said on Tuesday that the challenges were partly linked to climate change and the war in the Middle East, while appealing to Gambians to remain patient.

Saidy cancelled his attendance at a road inauguration to visit NAWEC facilities in Brikama and Kotu, two areas that have been badly affected by the power outages and the resulting protests.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Ismaila Ceesay said the government was treating the crisis with “seriousness and utmost urgency”.

“We want to assure every Gambian that we are working relentlessly,” Ceesay said in a statement.

The protests have increased pressure on the Barrow administration to find an immediate solution to the electricity crisis, with residents particularly affected by prolonged outages during the country’s hot season.