We are dealing with a paranoid government.
Earlier this Tuesday, during our press conference, we announced that—since we were previously denied the opportunity to submit our petition and some members were even incarcerated at Mile 2—we would deliver the petition immediately after the presser.
Shockingly, before our press conference had even concluded, one of our coalition members spotted two vehicles filled with PIU officers stationed at PURA, seemingly waiting to arrest us upon arrival.
Let this be clear: The Gambia Police Force must understand that The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority – PURA exists to hear public concerns about utilities. Their role is not to intimidate or silence citizens. By deploying PIU officers to PURA, the government is actively obstructing our right to engage with a public institution.
We will be calling PURA on Monday to schedule a date to formally submit our petition.
Deploying security forces to a public regulatory agency to intimidate peaceful petitioners does not reflect a government serious about dialogue. It sends the opposite message—that calls for dialogue are mere lip service.
Dialogue isn’t just about press releases. It requires real action—letters of invitation, agreed dates, and honest engagement. It’s been over two weeks since the government announced its so-called willingness to talk, yet no concrete steps have followed.
And let’s not forget: the clearest sign that this government is not serious about dialogue is that the charges against us still stand. If they truly want dialogue, they must start by dropping those charges. Only then can genuine engagement begin.
In the meantime, we urge all concerned citizens to sign our petition—over 1,000 people have already joined the call for justice and accountability.
