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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

It is with great honor that I pay tribute to our living legend, Mr. Bubanding Bajo, a recent award recipient at the maiden Gunjur Sports Committee Awards Night. Mr. Bajo is widely admired for his beautiful smile, tireless work ethic, and unwavering commitment to football and community harmony. More than a football lover, he is a peacemaker, conflict resolver, and a strong discourager of sport hooliganism, always approaching challenges with friendliness and respect. His presen

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

The Gunjur Sports Committee (GSC) on Saturday successfully hosted its maiden Annual Sports Awards Night at Le BeatRoute Club in Gunjur, marking a significant milestone in the promotion and recognition of sporting excellence in the community. Organised under GSC’s “New Era of Sports Development” mantra, the historic event brought together sports stakeholders, football enthusiasts, sponsors, and distinguished guests to celebrate outstanding achievements during the 2025/26 Gunju

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

Ten years after the establishment of Golden Lead Fishmeal Factory in Gunjur, concerns continue to mount over the company’s contribution to local development amid long-standing complaints surrounding its operations and environmental impact. Golden Lead had previously been associated with promises including the construction of the Gunjur beach road, development of a fish market, creation of employment opportunities and support for community-based initiatives through corporate s

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

By Musa Bassadi Jawara | Bintou’s Point, Kerewan Since the death of Honorable Mbemba Jatta’s passing on Monday, I took time today to visit with the family in Gunjur. I’ve not been in Gunjur for over a decade, and the earth under my feet remembered me before I remembered the turns. The remains of the late Hon. Mbemba Jatta will be laid to rest at the Gunjur central cemetery on Saturday, 16th May 2026 I wanted to take time and travel to Gunjur this Wednesday May 13 and visit wi

By Musa Bassadi Jawara, Bintou’s Point, Kerewan I was informed within moments of his demise in New York, United States at my vantage point in Bintou’s Point, Kerewan. News travels fast in this age, but grief travels faster. It pierced the quiet of the compound and settled on my chest like the harmattan. Late Hon. Mbemba Jatta, Former Minister of Trade, Environment & Labour Under former President Sir Dawda K. Jawara Upon learning the sad news my initial reaction translated in

Gunjur Youths for Health has successfully conducted another impactful community outreach at the Gunjur Main Market aimed at promoting public health awareness and preventive healthcare. The health screening exercise, held on 9th May 2026, attracted a total of 107 people from different age groups and genders across the community despite limited publicity ahead of the event. The outreach focused primarily on raising awareness about diabetes and hypertension, encouraging healthy

Lion Stars Football Academy has officially entered into a partnership with Kairo Brand as the academy continues preparations for the upcoming Gambia Football Federation Academy Youth League. Kairo Brand owner Abubacarr Darboe (L) with Lion Stars Academy President Ebrima Janneh (R) The partnership was marked by the unveiling of the academy’s new jerseys for the 2026 season, sponsored by the young Kairo design brand of Gunjur-born Abubacarr Darboe. The collaboration is seen as

Sometime back, after finishing the poem “Journey to the Hereafter,” I shared it with a number of friends before publishing it on Facebook. The responses I received were telling: “Are you leaving for eternity?”, “No, don’t bring this kind of poem to me. Please, let us know if you are ready to go!”, “. . . And stop writing these types of writings 😢. Write about money—that’s what I want to see 😂”. Others joked that the poem sounded like I was “giving warning shots” before depa

A Response Essay | What Did the Workshop Actually Validate? | By Dave Manneh, Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) On 12 April 2026, What If We Stop Performing the Lie? (the third essay in The Architecture of Predation trilogy) asked what happens when communities refuse the performance the state requires. Seventeen days later, the NaNA Conference Hall offered not an answer but an illustration. The architecture, dressed in the language of reform, had l

Ahmed Manjang, representing the Gunjur Conservationists and Ecotourism Association (CETAG), is participating in the Regional Forum of the Partnership for Regional Coastal and Marine Conservation (PRCM) taking place in Nouakchott, Mauritania from 27th to 30th April. Ahmed Manjang of CETAG delivers at 𝐏𝐑𝐂𝐌 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐮𝐚𝐤𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐭 At the forum, Manjang of CETAG is contributing to critical discussions on sustainable fisheries management and commu