Gambia president urges calm after violent blackout protests

In Banjul, the capital of Gambia, President Adama Barrow has called for citizens to remain composed amid prolonged power outages, emphasizing that the nation is not alone in grappling with an electricity crisis impacting various parts of West Africa. His remarks came after violent protests erupted in the capital and neighboring regions on Monday night over blackouts that lasted up to 48 hours, as residents alleged.

"When you lie down in the heat and the dark, believe that you are not alone in that darkness," Barrow asserted, vowing to enhance power supply by the following month. Gambia relies on a blend of locally generated and imported electricity, including from Guinea and neighboring Senegal. Persistent blackouts have plagued the tiny West African country since June, with outages growing longer and more frequent during the current hot season as elevated temperatures escalate electricity demand.

Tensions reached a boiling point on Monday, leading to protesters marching through Banjul and its outskirts, setting tires ablaze and obstructing roads, over the enduring power cuts. Police responded by deploying tear gas to disperse crowds, particularly in the Westfield area, where demonstrators aimed towards the headquarters of the national electricity company, Nawec.

Some protesters chanted "Barrow must go." Additionally, a gathering materialized outside the residence of the vice-president in Farato, where banners at an office of Barrow's ruling National People's Party were defaced. The unrest transpired just months before a presidential election scheduled for December, in which Barrow is contesting for a third term amid controversial circumstances.

During a televised address on Tuesday night, Barrow acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the blackouts but cautioned protesters against damaging public infrastructure, warning that such actions would exacerbate the disruption and divert resources toward repairs.