Thousands of Gambians marched through the capital, Banjul, on Wednesday, demanding justice over a string of unresolved corruption scandals.
Chanting “People! Power!” and hoisting signs reading “Gambians are not slaves to corruption,” protesters flooded the streets in a rare show of public fury.
The demonstration, led by the youth movement Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), centred at Westfield Monument, a known hub for civic dissent.
“We have lived under pillage and plunder for too long — corruption is endemic in this country,” said GALA’s Fallou Gallas Ceesay.
GALA called on President Adama Barrow to act decisively on multiple corruption probes that have sparked widespread public anger.
“We’ve seen damning investigations, but the president remains silent while corruption thrives,” protester Sucre Mike told AFP.
Demonstrators submitted petitions to government ministries, the National Assembly, and the president’s office, demanding accountability. One petition addressed the 2022 deaths of 70 young children who consumed toxic cough syrup imported from India.
Another called for transparency over a controversial Russian oil deal that allegedly involved bribes to government officials. “It’s not just youth on the streets — it’s the whole country united to end corruption,” said GALA spokesperson Omar Saibo.
The protest also spotlighted alleged financial misconduct in Covid-19 relief spending and embezzlement at the Gambia Ports Authority. As discontent simmers nationwide, the rally marked one of the most forceful civilian calls for integrity in Gambian governance.
