Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has appealed for calm after violent protests erupted over prolonged electricity cuts, acknowledging failures in the country’s power system while promising additional generation capacity in the coming weeks.
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of the capital Banjul and surrounding areas on Monday night after residents reported outages lasting as long as 48 hours.
Demonstrators burned tyres, blocked roads and marched towards facilities belonging to the national electricity utility, Nawec. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds in the Westfield area, where some protesters chanted slogans demanding Barrow’s departure.
Demonstrators also gathered near the vice-president’s residence in Farato, while banners at an office belonging to Barrow’s ruling National People’s Party were damaged.
The unrest comes only months before a presidential election expected in December, in which Barrow is seeking a third term.
In a televised address on Tuesday night, Barrow acknowledged the growing public frustration caused by the electricity crisis.
“When you lie down in the heat and the dark, believe that you are not alone in that darkness,” he said, urging citizens not to damage public infrastructure.
Barrow said vandalism would only deepen the crisis by forcing the government to divert funds towards repairs.
“Let us not destroy in a moment of anger what we suffered so long to gain,” he said.
The president admitted that shortcomings in planning, electricity generation and maintenance had contributed to the disruption, describing the situation as both a “national security issue” and an “emergency”.
Persistent blackouts have affected The Gambia since June, with outages becoming longer and more frequent during the hot season as electricity demand has risen sharply.
The country generates part of its electricity domestically but also relies on imported supplies from neighbouring Senegal and Guinea.
Barrow said the government expected conditions to improve by the end of October, with a new 24-megawatt generating unit being installed at the Brikama power station.
He also announced plans for a 50MW solar power plant in Soma, although no completion date was provided.
“For a system of our size, this is considerable power, enough to make a big difference in your homes,” Barrow said.
The president visited facilities operated by Nawec on Tuesday and said additional generators were expected to arrive this week.
Nawec managing director Gallo Saidy said reduced electricity imports from the regional grid had also contributed to the shortages.
Lower rainfall this year had reduced power available through regional electricity networks, he said.
“We are aware of the frustration and constraints that the Gambian people have,” Saidy said, appealing for patience as authorities work to restore supplies.
Nawec had warned in August that unusually high temperatures were driving a surge in electricity demand, while a technical fault had also affected a major generating unit supplying imported power.
The protests underline mounting pressure on Barrow’s government ahead of the December election, with electricity shortages adding to public dissatisfaction at a politically sensitive moment.
