By EFSCRJ
As the Gambia Police Force was caught brutalizing peaceful protesters in front of PURA and the Kanifing Magistrates Court on August 22nd and 25th, claiming the gatherings were unlawful, on September 1st and 2nd, the Police headquarters itself in the centre of Banjul was occupied by another set of protesters. Just that in this case, the Police did not brutalize but cooperated with the pro-Imam Kuyateh and pro-Mourid protesters, even though none of these groups had a permit. It is against this backdrop that EFSCRJ receives with grave concern and disappointment another damning investigative report by Malagen, written by veteran journalist Sanna Camara, ‘D7.2 Billion Later, Old Laws, Same Problems for Security Forces’ (https://malagen.org/investigations/the-big-story/d7-2-billion-later-old-laws-same-problems-for-security-forces/).
The Gambia government embarked on an ambitious security sector reform initiative after the departure of Dictator Yaya Jammeh in 2017, seeking to modernize security institutions, abolish oppressive colonial-era laws, and build professional, accountable forces that respect human rights. This effort was sustained by considerable international investment of over D7.2 billion committed from 2017 to 2025 by various development partners.
However, despite this significant funding, the reform process faltered, not due to a lack of resources, but because of deep-seated institutional inertia, political self-interest, and coordination failures. The starting point for any SSR process is legal reforms. Nine years today, no single security-related legislation has been reviewed and enacted to bring it in line with the principles and standards of democratic governance and human rights principles.
The absence of legislative progress has had a lasting negative impact. Security agencies continue to operate under outdated laws that enable abuses and inefficiencies, while ministerial control restricts their genuine operational autonomy. Intentional bureaucratic delays, corrupt contracting practices, and a pronounced lack of political will have stymied progress. While international donors contributed generously, transparency mechanisms were insufficient, allowing funds to be disbursed without meaningful legislative reform. The ongoing obstruction of modern laws by officials, often those who benefit from the current corrupt system, represents a serious breach of trust with both the Gambian people and the international community.
Therefore, after 9 years, the Gambia Police Force continues to be weaponized as they selectively enforce the law, thereby infringing on human rights. Meanwhile, working and living conditions of security officers across the agencies leave much to be desired. Apart from building new security stations or buildings, buying new vehicles, organizing workshops, travel, recruitment, and promoting officers, the security sector reform process remains a slogan with no tangible progress
EFSCRJ hereby calls for an inquiry into the finances, roles, targets, and an overall assessment of the SSR process to determine the issues, challenges, and way forward with a view to salvaging the process.
