Press release
The Government of The Gambia has announces that the Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia (Promulgation) Bill 2024 failed to secure the requisite majority during its Second Reading in the National Assembly on 7 July 2025. The draft constitution received 35 votes in favour and 21 against, with one member absent. This outcome fell short of the constitutional threshold requiring a three-quarters majority (44 votes) of all members to proceed to the Consideration Stage. Consequently, the Bill will not advanced further in the legislative process.
This result represents a setback to national efforts aimed at establishing a transformative constitutional framework to strengthen democracy, entrench the rule of law, and advance transitional justice following decades of authoritarian governance. While the government is profoundly disappointed by this outcome, we respect the legislative process. This draft constitution was a cornerstone of our commitment to reset The Gambia’s democracy on principles of justice, accountability, and popular sovereignty. Our resolve to deliver constitutional reform remains unwavering The constitutional review process commenced in 2017 with the enactment of the Constitutional Review Commission Act (Act No. 7 of 2017) which received Presidential Assent on January 11, 2018, culminating into the establishment of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC). Following 18 months of extensive consultations across the country and with Gambians abroad, the CRC submitted its draft constitution to President Adama Barrow in March 2020.
