The Gambia bans presidential protest group

The Gambia has banned a movement that opposes President Adama Barrow’s decision not to call elections this year. 

The group, Three Years Jotna (which means ‘enough’ in the local Wolof language), have been holding regular protests against the president’s continued stay in power. The movement has attracted thousands of supporters and tensions have continued to build after the president reneged on his earlier promise to hold fresh elections. 

The government has characterised the movement as “subversive, violent and illegal”. Spokesperson Ebrima G Sankareh told reporters on Saturday that the group was never legally registered and warned the media against “promoting its agenda”. 

The statement added that police have so far arrested some 137 people for participating in the demonstrations. The government has also suspended two radio stations - Home Digital FM and King FM - for “peddling incendiary messages” and “urging Gambians to join Jotna”. 

President Barrow came to power in 2017 at the head of a coalition of parties opposed to autocratic former leader Yahya Jammeh. The alliance allowed Barrow to lead a provisional government for three years provided he call elections after.

However, last year some members of Barrow’s coalition agreed to support a five-year term, as normally allowed by the constitution. The move was opposed by two of the alliance’s parties.

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