Gambian President Adama Barrow calls for calm following power outage protests
Black smoke from burning tyres filled the air on Monday as thousands of Gambian residents flooded urban streets to protest against escalating blackouts. Protesters blocked major transit routes, chanting directly against President Adama Barrow as months of chronic electricity shortages turned into a widespread public crisis.
The demonstrations reflect mounting public anger across the country. For months, power cuts plagued towns and cities, but recent reductions in electricity supply left entire neighborhoods without power for days at a time.
Desperation over the unreliable grid boiled over into direct action on Monday morning. Demonstrators set fire to tyres at intersections and shouted slogans calling for immediate political accountability and solutions to the utility failure.
In major population centers like Serrekunda and Brikama, business operations ground to a halt as power grids failed entirely. Shop owners watched refrigerated stock spoil, while small workshops that depend on heavy machinery could not operate.
Household water supplies in many districts also stopped working because municipal pumps depend on continuous electric current. Residents had to spend hours searching for working neighborhood wells or purchasing bottled water at inflated prices.
Medical facilities throughout the country reported severe operational challenges. Smaller clinics relied on private generators that consume costly diesel fuel, forcing staff to prioritize emergency care over standard routine medical services.
The Gambian power sector depends almost entirely on the National Water and Electricity Company, the state-run utility known as NAWEC. NAWEC operates aging power plants that suffer from frequent mechanical breakdowns and high operational costs.
The government under President Adama Barrow attempted to solve electricity deficits by negotiating power purchase agreements with neighboring West African countries. The Gambia imports electricity from Senegal through cross-border grid connections, but regional supply shifts often leave Gambian networks short of needed megawatts.
Adama Barrow took office as
According to Africanews Culture.
