Gambian President Faces Violent Protests Over Power Outages

Violent protests erupted in Gambia this week over prolonged power outages across the country, with demonstrators calling for the president to resign.

Demonstrators gathered in and around the capital, Banjul, Tuesday, burning tires, blocking roads and calling for Gambian President Adama Barrow to step down. Police used tear gas to disperse protesters who moved toward the headquarters of the National Water and Electricity Company, the country’s main power provider.

Some residents have experienced blackouts for as long as 48 hours since June, intensifying frustration during the country’s scorching summer season. The outages have disrupted daily life, spoiled food and left families without fans and other basic electrical services.

On Tuesday, Barrow promised to increase electricity supplies for the upcoming month, calling the outages “a national security issue” and an “emerg…