Gambia clamps down on protests after power cut unrest

Gambia has tightened rules on public demonstrations after protests over prolonged electricity cuts turned violent earlier this week, with police now requiring an approved permit before any protest can take place.

Inspector General of Police Seedy Mukhtar Touray made the declaration days after protesters took to the streets in several parts of the country, burning tyres and erecting barricades over the power shortages. Police were forced to use tear gas to disperse some of the crowds.

In his address, Mukhtar stressed that police understood the frustration behind the demonstrations but warned that grievances over electricity and other issues must be raised peacefully and within the law.

“Legitimate grievances must be expressed peacefully and in accordance with the law,” he said.

The police chief’s statement came after some of the gatherings on September 7 and 8 moved beyond peaceful demonstrations, with protesters gathering at night and moving towards government facilities.

“Peaceful expression of legitimate grievance is not in itself a crime. But violence, vandalism, looting and attack on security installations and other criminal conduct cannot be justified in the name of protest,” Mukhtar said.

According to the Police IG, the unrest included the vandalism of a police post and the release of detainees from custody. Gambia’s  National Water and Electricity Company Ltd (NAWEC) also reported that three of its branches were closed after attacks damaged buildings, infrastructure and office equipment. Police have since arrested 11 people in connection with the vandalism.

Public processions, the police chief said, must be authorised under the Public Order Act, which also sets rules on their timing and routes. He warned that police would act against anyone who holds a protest without following those requirements.

“Henceforth, any protest staged with due process will be dealt with very firmly and decisively. From this very moment, nobody is allowed to protest without an approved permit,” he said.

“Nobody is allowed to converge, cause havoc, distort the peace and tranquillity of the nation, especially during the night. Any violation of this will be met with necessary force.”

The protests were driven by frustration over repeated power cuts during the country’s hot season, with some areas experiencing blackouts lasting up to 48 hours.

Gambia’s electricity crisis has been worsened by high demand during the hot weather, according to NAWEC. In an August 15 statement, the utility said it was facing an “unforeseen surge in electricity demand during the peak period” and had also reported a technical problem affecting a major generating unit.

The pressure on the government increased after the protests, prompting President Adama Barrow to visit NAWEC facilities on Tuesday. Barrow later announced that new generators would arrive during the week and pledged to restore electricity by the end of October.

Barrow, who is seeking a third term in the country’s  December polls, also said the government was completing the installation of an additional 24-megawatt generation machine and had awarded a contract for a 50-megawatt solar power plant.