By Tabora Bojang
The planned peaceful march to persuade Halifa Sallah of PDOIS to reconsider his decision not to make himself available for any elections, by the Concern Patriotic Citizens, could not go ahead on Sunday.
According to the organisers, they were not issued a written permit by the police.
“As law-abiding citizens, we, the members of the Concerned Patriotic Citizens Movement, formally submitted an application for a permit to peacefully march to the residence of Honourable Halifa Sallah on Sunday 21 December 2025. Our singular objective is to deliver a respectful and heartfelt letter appealing to him to reconsider his decision to refrain from standing as a candidate in future elections. We clearly communicated our intentions to the police, emphasising that this would be a peaceful and dignified procession in honour of a statesman who has served The Gambia with distinction and integrity, and earned the admiration of citizens across the nation. Regrettably, despite our consistent and patient follow-ups since Wednesday, 17 December 2025, the permit has not been granted as previously indicated by the authorities”, the group lamented in write up shared with The Standard.
It continued:”While we are deeply disappointed by this outcome, we remain steadfast and undeterred. We will extend one final opportunity for the police to respond positively by Monday 22 December 2025. Should they fail to do so, we are fully prepared to pursue alternative lawful avenues to fulfil our mission”.
The organisers reaffirmed their commitment to “peace, respect for the law, and the democratic values, saying they will outline their next steps with clarity and purpose by today Monday.
