World

Gambia's President Vows to End Power Cuts Amid Violent Protests Ahead of Election

By AFP

Gambian President Adama Barrow has promised to expand the country's energy supply by next month in an effort to end violent protests sparked by prolonged electricity outages, as he prepares to seek re-election.

Demonstrators set tyres ablaze and erected barricades that disrupted traffic in the capital, Banjul, and surrounding areas on Monday and Tuesday, calling for Barrow to step down. Police responded with tear gas to disperse crowds that had gathered at several locations, including near the presidential residence and the headquarters of the National Water and Electricity Corporation (NAWEC), the country's electricity supplier.

During a visit to a NAWEC power station, Barrow described the ongoing blackouts as an emergency and a matter of national security. In a subsequent address to the nation, he announced plans to install a 24-megawatt power generator by the end of October.

"I know that 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 said.

The rolling blackouts, which have lasted as long as 48 hours in some areas, have struck during the West African nation's hot season. Barrow also revealed plans for an additional 50-megawatt solar power facility, with construction expected to begin soon.

NAWEC's managing director, Gallo, attributed the extended power cuts partly to climate change and the effects of the US-Israel conflict with Iran. In a statement issued in August, the utility company also cited an unexpected rise in electricity demand driven by soaring temperatures.

The unrest comes just months before The Gambia's presidential election in December, in which Barrow is seeking a third term in office.