President Barrow’s threatening remarks against Hon. Bah raise concerns about political intimidation, the safety of elected representatives and the right to peaceful protest. His reference to lethal violence against protesters under former President Yahya Jammeh risks heightening political tensions and fuelling fear ahead of The Gambia’s December 5 presidential election.
The court is expected to speed up sexual and gender-based violence cases, reduce delays and introduce measures to help survivors testify with greater privacy and protection. But its effectiveness will depend on how it operates in practice.
The reported remarks come against the backdrop of The Gambia’s efforts to confront human rights violations committed during Yahya Jammeh’s rule. The country’s transitional justice process has sought to establish the truth about past abuses and promote accountability. Praising past killings risks undermining these efforts by framing violence as an acceptable response to perceived wrongdoing rather than a violation requiring accountability.
A viral social media media post claims that President Adama Barrow has fired his energy minister and head of the national electricity company. We factchecked it, and this is what we found out.
With 58 days to go before the 2026 presidential election, The Gambia’s political environment is already becoming increasingly charged. As campaign activity intensifies, politicians, political parties, supporters and other influential voices have a responsibility to measure their words carefully and avoid rhetoric that could incite hostility, promote discrimination, deepen divisions or encourage the exclusion of political opponents.
As The Gambia heads towards the December 5 presidential election, rhetoric around who belongs and who does not is increasingly entering political discourse. Lands Minister Hamat Bah is among the prominent political figureheads previously flagged by Malagen for rhetoric requiring scrutiny, making his latest remarks particularly significant.
The Gambia’s presidential race will enter a decisive phase in November, when hopefuls must move from political declarations and coalition deals to formally securing a place on the ballot. From who can nominate a candidate to the D1m deposit and possible objections, here is what voters need to know about the nomination process ahead of the December 5 election.
In this explainer, Malagen breaks down who the appointed magistrates are, what Revising Courts do, what powers they have under the Elections Act 2025, how objections are determined and how their decisions feed into the final electoral register.
Mandinkas have remained The Gambia’s largest ethnic group for decades—but GBoS census data show their share of the population has steadily declined. So, have they finally been overtaken? The latest figures tell a different story.
Beyond Imam Leigh’s remark, Malagen examines the broader dangers of tribal and divisive rhetoric, including how repeated ethnic stereotyping can reinforce prejudice, deepen social divisions and be exploited during politically sensitive periods such as elections. The report also draws on findings from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) where Imam Leigh serves as a commissioner, which has repeatedly warned about the prevalence and impact of hate speech and the responsibility of influential voices to prevent, rather than fuel, such rhetoric.
© Copyright 2023. All Rights Reserved.