The former Argos security guard clinging to power in Gambia

When a former security guard at a London Argos store was declared president of Gambia in 2016, supporters gave him the nickname “No drama Adama”.

Adama Barrow’s unassuming and calm demeanour promised a fresh start after his erratic authoritarian predecessor.

But a decade later, his country has been convulsed by violent protests as anger boiled over at lengthy power cuts during a long, hot summer.

Protesters have burned tyres and blocked roads in the capital, Banjul, and surrounding areas for several days, and police have responded with tear gas to disperse crowds.

The demonstrations are in response to power blackouts lasting as long as 48 hours, as a country already reliant on power imports fails to cope with a surge in demand during the hot season.

Mr Barrow has appealed to Gambians to remain calm and has promised that the situation will improve by the end of October.

“When you lie down in the heat and the dark, believe that you are not alone in that darkness,” he told the country in a televised address.

However, time is running out for him to bring the situation under control before December, when he stands for a controversial third term.

Ryan Cummings, director of Signal Risk, a South Africa-based risk analysis company, said Gambia was undergoing one of its “most significant outbreaks of civic unrest in recent years”.

Mr Barrow’s political opponents have begun to capitalise on the unrest, with Modou Lamin Bah, a senior figure in the opposition United Democratic Party, joining protests.

Mr Cummings told The Telegraph: “Bah’s involvement immediately saw participants shift their slogans from calling for improved service delivery to direct calls for Barrow to step down.

“Although limited in scope, the incident did underscore the willingness of the political opposition to use grievances harboured by the Gambian populace against Barrow.

“This is at a time when political tensions are already elevated ahead of the country’s December 2026 presidential elections, in which the incumbent will be seeking an effective third term in office.

“Opposition participation in these protests will make them more organised and widespread, and entrench their anti-government undertone.

“This could prompt a firmer and potentially more forcible response by state security forces.”

Mr Barrow, 61, was born in a riverside village three days before Gambia won independence from Britain.

In the early 2000s, he moved to London and worked as a security guard in an Argos store on Holloway Road as he saved money and dreamt of becoming a property developer.

Returning to his homeland, he played a role in uniting disparate opposition groups working to end two decades of authoritarian rule by Yahya Jammeh, a former army officer.

“Life is a process, and the UK helped me to become the person I am today. Working 15 hours a day builds a man,” Mr Barrow said during his first election campaign in 2016.

His country, which has fewer than three million people, has been plagued by power cuts since June, which have worsened as high temperatures in the hot season have driven up electricity demand.

Gambia cannot provide enough electricity for its own needs and has topped up supplies for years by importing from neighbouring Senegal and nearby Guinea. But supplies from both sources have fallen recently.

Senegal’s national supplier said it had been providing less because Gambia’s National Water and Electricity Corporation (NAWEC) has failed to pay its bills, though NAWEC has denied that this is the reason.

In Guinea, drought means hydroelectric power generation has fallen.

With blackouts stretching on in Gambia, thousands took to the streets on Monday, and again on Wednesday evening.

Mr Barrow promised the government was in the “final stage” of installing a new 24-megawatt generation machine at the Brikama power plant, and said plans were also in place to build a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Soma.

Meanwhile, Mr Barrow is seeking a third term in office despite once vowing to stop lengthy presidencies. He helped topple his predecessor in 2016 in part by pledging democratic reform.

He said then he would only serve a single term, and would impose presidential term limits as a corrective to Mr Jammeh’s repressive 22-year rule.

Under Mr Barrow, corruption in Gambia has declined and media freedom has improved, but presidential term limits have not been approved, partly because of a lack of support from his own party.

In December’s election, he faces a fragmented opposition, but it may seek to take advantage of the power cuts and protests.

Dr Ismaila Ceesay, the country’s information minister, called for national unity after the protests.

He said: “I think we should work collectively to make sure we deliver this. As a country, let the darkness not divide us. There’s a problem we acknowledge. And we are making sure that this undesirable situation should stop as soon as possible.”

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