Protesters in The Gambia clashed with police after gathering overnight in several locations to denounce prolonged electricity blackouts, with some chanting, “Barrow must go!”
Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators near President Adama Barrow’s official residence and other areas around the capital, Banjul, residents and a Reuters witness said.
Protesters reportedly burned tyres and erected barricades on roads as smoke filled the streets.
The demonstrations come amid growing anger over electricity shortages, with some residents reporting blackouts lasting as long as 48 hours.
The unrest also comes ahead of the presidential election expected in December, in which Barrow is seeking a third term.
In Farato, protesters gathered outside the residence of Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow and reportedly destroyed banners at an office of the ruling National People’s Party.
A police spokesperson did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment on Tuesday.
Barrow was scheduled to visit facilities operated by the National Water and Electricity Company Ltd (NAWEC) on Tuesday morning before addressing the nation at 8 p.m. (2000 GMT).
NAWEC Blames Heat, Technical Fault for Power Crisis
NAWEC said on August 15 that it was experiencing “an unforeseen surge in electricity demand during the peak period”, which it attributed to high temperatures.
The utility also reported “a technical incident affecting one of the major power-generating units on the import side”, without providing further details.
NAWEC warned that the situation would require load shedding across several parts of the country, although it did not give specific dates.
The utility did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
“There is no light everywhere. There is no light. People have been crying about electricity,” said Ousainu Jammeh, a resident of Banjul’s Westfield area.
Jammeh said he joined the protesters after tear gas “landed in my house”.
The protests subsided during the pre-dawn hours, after which Jammeh joined groups of young men using water to put out fires and remove barricades.
Traffic had returned to normal in Banjul by Tuesday morning.
