Banjul, Sept. 11 — Gambian President Adama Barrow has promised an end to the country’s crippling electricity blackouts after protests over the power crisis turned violent in the capital Banjul and surrounding areas earlier this week.
Demonstrators are reported to have taken to the streets on Monday and Tuesday, burning tyres and erecting barricades in several neighbourhoods as frustration boiled over rolling blackouts that have reportedly stretched up to 48 hours at a time during West Africa’s hot season. Crowds are said to have gathered near the National Water and Electricity Corporation’s headquarters and, in some instances, close to the presidential residence, with some protesters calling for President Barrow’s resignation. Police reportedly responded with tear gas to disperse crowds at multiple locations. No casualties have been confirmed at this time.
In a national address, President Barrow described the outages as a “national security issue” and appealed for calm, acknowledging the toll the crisis has taken on ordinary households. “I know that the fans have stopped turning, children work in the dark, mothers throw away stale food,” he is reported to have said, in remarks that appeared aimed at defusing public anger ahead of planned government interventions.
The president announced emergency measures to address the shortfall, including a 24-megawatt power generation facility expected to come online by the end of October, alongside plans for a larger 50-megawatt solar plant to boost the country’s generation capacity over the medium term. The national utility has attributed the crisis to a combination of factors, including the effects of climate change, geopolitical disruptions to fuel supply, and an unexpected surge in electricity demand driven by unusually high temperatures.
The unrest comes at a politically sensitive moment for President Barrow, who is understood to be seeking a third term in office in elections scheduled for December. Analysts say the power crisis, if unresolved, could become a significant liability for his campaign, particularly in urban areas where the blackouts have been most keenly felt.
The Gambian government has urged residents to remain calm as the emergency measures are rolled out, while opposition figures have accused the administration of years of underinvestment in the country’s energy infrastructure. It remains to be seen whether the promised short-term fixes will be enough to ease public frustration in the weeks ahead.