News | Views | Stories | Analysis | 

Pa Janneh has called on the citizenry to make informed decision at the polls in December elections for a better life. Speaking during a courtesy call by UNITE Kombo South Chairman, Momodou Semega Janneh, he postulated: “Why are they going on campaign deceiving people with promises they can’t fulfill? They need your votes. Why don’t they sit in their houses in the hope Allah will put them there. They use religion to mislead people. They should sit in their houses . If you do

For almost a decade, the people of Gunjur have lived alongside the Golden Lead fishmeal factory. What was initially welcomed as an investment that promised jobs, infrastructure and economic opportunities has instead become one of the most divisive industrial developments in our community’s history. Golden Lead Fishmeal factory on the Gunjur Coastline Today, it is fair to ask a simple but important question: 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐆𝐮𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫

This essay is a scholarly research I conducted. It is merit-based and reflects my personal philosophical argument on the standards required for the Office of Chief Justice in a post-autocratic Gambia. My hope is that legal scholars in this country do not feel bamboozled or intimidated by criticism. This is the moment to set the record right. Constitutional recovery demands open debate, evidence, and principle. This is my contribution to that debate. Gambia’s incoming Chief Ju

The Gambia has been ranked 131st out of 180 countries in the Nature Conservation Index (NCI) 2025, achieving an overall score of 51.1, according to the newly released global assessment of countries’ efforts to protect and manage their natural environments. Despite its overall ranking, the country recorded a remarkable achievement by ranking first in the world for the ecological representativeness of its terrestrial protected areas. This means that The Gambia’s protected lands

The Brikama Area Council (BAC) has approved the inclusion of Alkalolu and Seyfolu in the mobilisation of value property rate revenue as part of efforts to strengthen local revenue collection and improve collaboration between the Council and traditional authorities. The resolution was adopted during the Council’s Monthly General Sitting held on 16 June 2026 following a recommendation from the Finance Sub-Committee. Council members endorsed the proposal to enhance the efficienc

The Government of The Gambia has officially signed the Mombasa Declaration for Fisheries Transparency, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability, and sustainable management of its fisheries resources. The declaration was signed during the 11th Ocean Conference held in Mombasa, Kenya, by the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters. The move underscores The Gambia’s commitment to improving fi

Vertigo in Dakar: Musa Bassadi Jawara Chronicles Ousmane Sonko’s Vacillations — A Study in Astonishment and Amusement By Musa Bassadi Jawara Economist & Author For two years, a digital militia armed with insults, not arguments, has besmirched _Bintou’s Point Kerewan_ and its author for daring to tell an uncomfortable truth: that demagoguery is not governance, that slogans are not statecraft, and that Ousmane Sonko’s inexperienced cabal at the helm in Dakar would collide with

As The Gambia prepares for the December 5 presidential election, UDP leader Ousainou Darboe has appealed to Gambians to place their trust in his leadership, pledging to serve the nation with honesty, transparency, and dedication if elected. UDP Leader, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe In a message addressed to the nation on his Facebook page, Darboe said he is seeking the presidency not for personal gain, but to serve the people and help address the challenges facing the country. “I se

The State House in Banjul was awash with red and white as Gambian President Adama Barrow hosted a special celebration for Arsenal supporters following the club’s historic English Premier League triumph. A passionate Arsenal fan himself, President Barrow organised a buffet reception for fellow Gunners supporters to mark Arsenal’s first league title in 22 years. The event attracted scores of fans, many of whom arrived dressed in Arsenal replica jerseys, scarves, and club colour

With due respect to Mayor Talib, I disagree with the assertion that the selection of a coalition flagbearer should completely disregard the size and strength of the constituent political parties. UMC Leader Talib Bensouda Any coalition built on mutual respect, fairness, and political reality cannot ignore the support base that each party brings to the table. It would be difficult to justify asking a party with over 200,000 supporters and a nationwide structure to join a coali

The people of Gunjur, and indeed much of the Kombo region, continue to endure daily power outages with no clear end in sight. Residents in Gunjur received barely one hour of electricity yesterday and just two hours today. Such a situation is unacceptable and unsustainable in the 21st century. At a government press conference earlier today, officials from NAWEC attributed the ongoing power crisis to “maintenance works on domestic power generation facilities” and “procurement b

The Gunjur Ward Development Committee (WDC) has provided a significant boost to sports development in the community by donating D250,000 to the Gunjur Sports Committee (GSC) towards the completion of dressing rooms at the Nyamina Football Field. The funding forms part of the 2026 Ward Development Allocation of D1 million disbursed by the WDC to support priority development projects across Gunjur Ward. According to an official dispatch issued by Ward Councillor Hon. Momodou Ch

NAWEC May Cost A Government Failure — Prince Ebrahim Sanyang Warns Gambia | Tuesday 26 May 2026 Prominent Gambian development economist and international structured finance expert, Prince Ebrahim Sanyang, has warned that the worsening crisis at NAWEC poses a serious economic and political risk to the government if urgent reforms are not undertaken. Prince Ebrahim Sanyang In a strongly worded statement, Sanyang highlighted persistent nationwide power outages, poor infrastructu

By Musa Bassadi Jawara | Economist & Author | Bintou’s Point, Kerewan 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐲𝐞 President of the Republic of Senegal Palais de la République Dakar, Senegal 24 May 2026 Dear Mr. President, The rupture between you and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has wounded you both to near mortality. But it is Senegal and the Senegalese people who will bleed in Himalayan pro

The recent assertion that the APRC government under former President Yahya Jammeh merely “faked” development projects to attract votes is not only unfortunate, but also deeply insulting to the intelligence and lived experiences of Gambians. No well-meaning citizen can simply ignore such reckless statements. It appears the President is either desperately struggling to communicate a convincing message to the Gambian people or deliberately attempting to mislead and manipulate th

The PASTEF Rupture and a Nation in Peril By Musa Bassadi Jawara I. PREAMBLE — ON VINDICATION Before the March 2024 elections, I wrote a sober, measured piece. One line only said Amadou Ba had the institutional edge. For that single sentence, PASTEF’s digital militia descended. I was called a liar, a relic, a mercenary of the old order. They mocked, doxxed, and damned. My inboxes overflowed with venom. My analysis, built on 30 years of watching Dakar politics, was dismissed as

By Musa Bassadi Jawara Mr. Tambadou, you forwarded your “Open Letter to Mustapha K. Darboe” dated May 18, 2026 to me directly. In the spirit of transparency and public accountability, I respond. The nation is entitled to more than one voice when matters of justice, reputation, and public trust collide. This is that response — professional, academic, and unflinching. The issues you raised in your letter, in their entirety, are presented as conclusions of fact. With respect, th

A decade after Golden Lead established its fishmeal factory in Gunjur, an important question continues to echo across the community: what has Gunjur truly gained in return? When the factory began operations, expectations were high. There were hopes of major developments that would transform the coastal settlement — improved infrastructure such as the Gunjur beach road, a fish market, employment opportunities for local youths and meaningful corporate social responsibility init

By Dave Manneh Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) One year ago, I wrote "Beyond Jammeh's Shadow: Elite Capture, Land Dispossession, and State Assets Underselling in the Supposed New Gambia." That piece argued that Mustapha K. Darboe's investigation in The Republic exposed more than a scandal over stolen luxury goods. It mapped a system that moves public and communal wealth into the hands of a connected elite, the same elite that flourished under Yahya

Former Gambian Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubacarr Marie Tambadou, popularly known as “Ba Tambadou,” has demanded a public apology from investigative journalist Mustapha K. Darboe over what he described as “false and defamatory” claims published by The Republic in April 2025 regarding the disposal of assets linked to former President Yahya Jammeh. In a lengthy open letter dated 18 May 2026, Tambadou accused Darboe and The Republic of publishing allegations tha