By Olimatou Coker
Lamin ‘Mondo’ Jatta, the chief of Brikama North, has called on Gambians Against Looted Assets (Gala) to stop “unnecessary protests” and instead form a political party if the members wish to pursue political change.
Chief Jatta made this remark on Wednesday during an interview with journalists at a National Council for Civic Education (NCCE) forum on Inclusive Justice and Democratic Governance in The Gambia, held at the Brikama Regional Education Directorate Office.
The programme aims to strengthen peace, security, and democratic resilience ahead of the 2026–2027 electoral cycle by addressing issues such as community insecurity, youth vulnerability, gender-based violence, misinformation, and electoral risks. It also seeks to empower women and young people as key actors in peacebuilding, violence prevention, and democratic participation.
Commenting on Gala’s activities, Chief Jatta said the movement should reconsider its approach and stop organising frequent demonstrations.
“Gala should stop their unnecessary protests because they do not own the country alone. We are all equal here,” he said.
The chief alleged that some members of the group are being influenced and sponsored by individuals living outside the country.
“They are doing this for money and not for the sake of the country or God. There are people outside The Gambia sponsoring them and encouraging them to continue protesting. These actions will not take the country anywhere and will not help national development,” he claimed.
He advised Gala to register as a political party if its objective is to seek political power.
“I am telling them to go to the Independent Electoral Commission, form a political party, and tell Gambians that they want to take over leadership, and stop the countless protests they are organising. We will not accept that. What we want is peace in the country. They should stop causing problems and help maintain peace,” he said.
Chief Jatta also expressed concern over reports of a planned protest against the National Water and Electricity Company (Nawec), questioning the rationale.
“I am aware of their planned protest against Nawec. What exactly are they going to do at Nawec? Are they experts or staff of the institution? Before organising a protest, why not engage the management and seek to understand the root causes of the challenges?” he asked.
Addressing the ongoing electricity challenges in the country, the chief said technical failures should not automatically be interpreted as deliberate acts of negligence.
“Electricity problems occur just as human beings sometimes become sick. Machines also develop faults. We should stop assuming that Nawec is deliberately causing these problems. Such accusations only create unnecessary hostility,” he stated.
Chief Jatta revealed that he visited the Brikama Power Station at night to assess the situation.
“In my capacity as chief, I visited the Brikama Power Station at night to understand what was happening. I found staff members who had spent three to four consecutive nights at the station. This was only a few days before eid They had not been with their families. Their relatives were taking meals to them there while they worked tirelessly to solve the technical problems affecting the machines and restore power.”
