Power Struggles in The Gambia: A Perfect Storm of Politics and Energy

As Adama Barrow’s government faces another tumultuous election cycle, a perfect storm is brewing on the streets of Banjul. For weeks, Gambians have been protesting the country’s crippling electricity crisis, with rolling blackouts leaving residents sweltering in darkness.

The catalyst for these protests is the prolonged power outages that have become all too familiar in The Gambia. With temperatures soaring during the West African hot season, households are forced to ration their power or go without it altogether. In some areas, the lights have been out for up to 48 hours at a stretch, leaving families to navigate the sweltering heat by candlelight.

In an attempt to quell the unrest, President Barrow has pledged a major boost to The Gambia’s energy infrastructure. A new 24-megawatt generation machine will be installed by the end of October, and a 50-megawatt solar power plant is set to break ground soon. While these announcements are welcome news for a nation desperate for reliable electricity, they also raise questions about the government’s handling of the crisis – and its motives.

The Gambia’s energy woes predate Barrow’s presidency by several years. Critics argue that his administration has been slow to act, and that it took violent protests for him to declare the outages a national emergency. Some see this as an overburdened government struggling to keep pace with growing demand, while others view it as a classic example of a politician playing catch-up – and trying to use a crisis to shore up his own position ahead of the election.

NAWEC, The Gambia’s national electricity provider, has cited climate change and an “unforeseen surge” in demand caused by high temperatures and the US-Israel conflict with Iran as contributing factors to the crisis. Whatever the truth may be, it is clear that NAWEC has struggled to keep up with The Gambia’s growing energy needs.

This crisis speaks to a deeper issue of governance and accountability in The Gambia. As the country hurtles towards another election cycle, questions are being asked about Barrow’s leadership – and his willingness to listen to the concerns of his people. In a speech meant to reassure the nation, he came across as tone-deaf and out-of-touch.

The new energy infrastructure may be enough to quell the protests, but it is likely to be seen as a Band-Aid solution to a deeper problem. Barrow’s chances in December’s election are uncertain – can he rally his base and win a third term, or is the writing already on the wall? For now, The Gambia’s power struggles are far from over.