By Michaella Faith Wright
The Gambia Action Party (GAP) has condemned the recent unauthorised protest staged by a group identified as Gambians Against Looted Assets in Banjul, warning that such actions risk national peace and threaten democratic stability.
In a statement released by the Secretary General and Party Leader, Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly, GAP emphasised that while public dissatisfaction is valid and reforms are needed, change must be pursued through legal and strategic means, not through force or unauthorised demonstrations.
“The method employed was not only unlawful but dangerously counterproductive,” Batchilly stated. He added that in a democratic society, the constitution remains the supreme guide, and any deviation from it invites chaos and instability.
Citing historical precedent, Batchilly reminded citizens of how former President Yahya Jammeh, despite ruling The Gambia for over two decades, was peacefully removed through the power of the ballot box. “There was no gunfire, no bloodshed, and no street war—only the collective will of a people exercising their democratic rights,” he said.
GAP has called on the youth and opposition members to resist calls for unauthorised protests, stressing that the cost of such recklessness is too high for a small nation like The Gambia. Instead, the party advocates for voter education, civic engagement, and national unity in the lead-up to the 2026 elections.
“What this country needs is not division or finger-pointing, but unity with a common goal,” the statement read. GAP also urged opposition leaders to set aside personal ambition for the greater national interest, noting that meaningful change is possible through lawful and organised action.
The party concluded its statement with a rallying call: “Let us organise, not agonise. Let us educate, not instigate. Let us vote, not vandalise.”
GAP reaffirmed its commitment to peace, progress, and the will of the Gambian people.
