Gambian leader pledges halt to rolling blackouts as protests turn violent

Gambian President Adama Barrow pledged to halt ongoing rolling blackouts, which have turned violent as protesters demand his resignation ahead of the upcoming election. The power outages, lasting up to 48 hours in some regions, have plagued the West African nation during its hottest season. Demonstrators in Banjul and surrounding cities set tires ablaze and erected roadblocks, hurling demands at Barrow to step down.

Police responded with tear gas to break up the crowds, which gathered outside the president's residence and the National Water and Electricity Corporation (NAWEC) headquarters, the country's primary electricity supplier.

Barrow declared the recurring blackouts an emergency and a "national security issue" after a visit to a NAWEC power station. In a televised address, he announced plans to install a 24-megawatt generation machine by the end of October, aiming to restore electricity supply. "The fans have stopped turning, children work in the dark, mothers throw away stale food, and the heat is unbearable by day and by night," Barrow lamented during his televised speech.

In addition to the 24-megawatt installation, Barrow announced the commencement of construction on a 50-megawatt solar power plant. However, NAWEC's Managing Director, Gallo, attributed the persistent power cuts to factors such as climate change and the US-Israel conflict in Iran. The electricity provider also cited an "unforeseen surge" in demand due to high temperatures in their August statement.

The power outages occur in the weeks leading up to the December presidential election, in which Barrow is seeking a third term in office.