The Edward Francis Small Center for Rights & Justice strongly condemns the press release issued by the State House on March 28, 2025, in response to the Afrobarometer survey findings and Voice Newspaper’s coverage. We consider the statement an attempt to disinform the public, suppress independent research, and intimidate journalists and researchers.
The State House’s claim that the Afrobarometer’s methodology is biased and that its findings are intended to discredit public institutions is misleading and a direct attack on academic and press freedom. Such remarks discourage objective research and open discourse on governance and democracy in The Gambia. The government’s assertion that institutions like the judiciary and executive must be key participants in perception surveys is an intentional misrepresentation of how public attitude surveys function. Afrobarometer, an independent research network, gathers data directly from citizens to assess governance, democracy, and societal issues without government approval or participation.
Additionally, the government’s response reflects a clear double standard. In 2021, when the CEPRASS survey predicted President Barrow’s electoral victory, the administration welcomed it without question. However, when research findings expose governance issues, the same government dismisses them as unreliable. This inconsistency underscores the government’s selective approach to research acceptance.
The claim that the administration is committed to fighting corruption is contradicted by evidence. Since 2017, only one senior public official has been convicted of corruption, and even then, he was pardoned by the president within a year. Multiple audit reports from the National Audit Office have exposed widespread corruption across public institutions, yet there has been no meaningful accountability. The National Assembly’s resolutions against corruption, abuse of office, and unretired interest in various sectors—including tourism, disaster response, and COVID-19 funds—have been ignored. Furthermore, individuals previously implicated in corruption scandals have been reinstated into government positions following a controversial amendment to the Commission of Inquiry Act in 2023.
EFSCRJ views the government’s continued efforts to suppress independent research and journalism as a serious threat to democracy. The attack on Afrobarometer’s lead researcher, Sait Matty Jaw, mirrors similar oppressive actions from the Jammeh regime, which arrested him in 2014 for conducting independent research. It would do if the current administration could detain researchers without domestic and international backlash.
We stand firmly in support of the Afrobarometer and its local partner, the Centre for Research and Policy Development (CRPD), independent researchers, and the media, recognizing their critical role in informing public policy and strengthening democracy, good governance, and national development. Without research, there can be no informed governance, development, or protection of human rights.
Therefore, we demand that the State House withdraw its misleading and disingenuous statement and refrain from any further attempts to suppress press freedom, discredit research, and stifle public discourse. We call upon all civil society organizations, academic institutions, media houses, business communities, and political parties to unite to defend research and media freedom.
The State House’s actions should not be taken lightly. As the most powerful institution in the country, the presidency can shape national stability, governance, and democracy. Its decisions must be held to the highest standards of ethics, legality, accountability, and transparency.
