Africa-Press. The police chief in Gambia announced that no further protests will be allowed in the West African nation without permits, after authorities used tear gas earlier this week to disperse crowds protesting against prolonged electricity outages during the hottest months of the year.
The protests, which lasted several nights, have sparked discontent towards President Adama Barrow ahead of the elections scheduled for December.
The Inspector General of Police in Gambia, Sidi Mukhtar Touray, stated in a statement: “From this moment on, no one is allowed to protest without an approved permit.”
He added: “No one is allowed to gather or incite chaos or disrupt the security and tranquility of the country, especially at night. Any violation of this will be met with necessary force.”
During the unrest earlier this week, a police station was vandalized, and “detainees were unlawfully released” from their holding place, according to Touray.
The National Water and Electricity Company in Gambia reported that it closed three of its branches after its buildings, infrastructure, and office equipment sustained significant damage from the attacks.
Touray mentioned that authorities arrested 11 individuals in connection with the vandalism that occurred during the unrest.
Ahmed Bensouda, the mayor of Kanifing Municipality, expressed understanding of the protesters’ anger, noting his intention to challenge Barrow in the December elections.
The potential candidate stated: “If you cannot sit in your home due to the heat, and if you do not have a generator to carry out basic tasks or even engage in informal activities… you find yourself compelled to take to the streets.”
He added: “This is something we do not support, but we understand the problem.”
The National Water and Electricity Company stated in a release on August 15 that it is facing “an unexpected surge in electricity demand during peak times,” attributing it to rising temperatures.
Barrow visited the company’s facilities on Tuesday morning and pledged that Gambia would receive new generators this week, and that electricity supplies would be restored by the end of October.
He stated that the government is in the final stages of installing an additional 24-megawatt power generation unit and has awarded a contract for the construction of a 50-megawatt solar power plant.
Bensouda criticized Barrow’s heavy reliance on energy imports, arguing that it makes Gambia vulnerable to disruptions in global supplies.
He said: “Young people are feeling frustrated, and I believe it is not just about energy; they are frustrated about many things,” pointing out that “there is a lack of opportunities, and this drives irregular migration to Europe.”
