A Champion of Press Freedom and Human Rights: Why President Adama Barrow Deserves Global Recognition

Since The Gambia gained independence in 1965, successive governments have spoken of empowering the media and safeguarding human rights, but none have taken bold, tangible, and institutional steps equal to those of His Excellency President Adama Barrow and the National People’s Party (NPP) government.

President Barrow has not only upheld democratic values — he has transformed them into action.

His latest landmark decision to allocate land for a permanent headquarters for the Gambia Press Union (GPU) stands as an historic and unprecedented milestone. For the first time since independence, a Gambian government has demonstrated practical commitment to media empowerment by creating the foundation for a sustainable, independent, and professional press infrastructure. This is not symbolism; this is state support anchored in respect for independence, integrity, and freedom of expression.

This monumental gesture is a bold testament that The Gambia under President Barrow is no longer a country where journalists live in fear, where dissent is silenced, or where press freedom is a privilege. Instead, The Gambia is steadily becoming a beacon of democratic progress in Africa — a nation where journalists can operate freely, safely, and confidently.

The annual Presidential Media Dinner at the State House has become more than a formality — it is a bridge of dialogue and mutual respect between the presidency and the fourth estate. By engaging directly with journalists, President Barrow has nurtured a climate of trust and openness, reinforcing the message that government and media are partners in nation-building, not adversaries.

Why the GPU, ECOWAS, AU, and Global Media Institutions Should Recognize President Barrow

President Barrow’s leadership embodies principles championed by regional and international democratic institutions. His administration has:

Restored dignity to journalism in The Gambia after years of repression.

Strengthened legal and democratic space for free expression and accountable governance.

Promoted transparency, dialogue, and institutional collaboration between the state and the media.

Encouraged responsible journalism, ensuring press freedom goes hand-in-hand with national development.

Created a safer environment for journalists, free from intimidation, harassment, and political persecution.

Aligned The Gambia with international democratic standards, reinforcing its global standing as a rights-respecting nation.

President Barrow’s commitment deserves not only national applause but global recognition. The Gambia Press Union, ECOWAS, African Union, international media bodies, and human rights institutions such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and UNESCO should acknowledge him as a Champion of Human Rights and Press Freedom.

Under his stewardship, The Gambia has rewritten its democratic narrative — from fear to freedom, from silence to speech, and from suppression to empowerment.

Today, The Gambia stands tall as a shining example of what visionary leadership, respect for rights, and democratic conviction can achieve. President Adama Barrow has done what no government dared or managed to do since 1965 — and history will remember this era as a defining chapter in The Gambia’s democratic journey.

Written by:

Yaya Dampha

NPP Diaspora Coordinator

UK Jarra Association Rings in New Era With Fresh Board Leadership

By JarranewsTV Staff Reporter

The UK Jarra Association (UKJA) has ushered in a new chapter in its history following the election of a new Board of Trustees at its Annual Congress held on 6 December 2025.

At the heart of the new leadership is Mr. Yaya Fulo Fofana of Jarra Karantaba, who takes over as Chair of the Board, while Mr. Mustapha Darboe from Jarra Bureng has been elected Secretary General. Their appointment signals renewed momentum for the association at a time of strategic growth and institutional reform.

Notably, the election also marks the return of several respected pioneers of UKJ⁸A, bringing decades of institutional memory back into leadership. Among them are Mr. Lamin Manjang, the association’s founding Chairperson; Mr. Kebba Lang Sanneh, its first Secretary General; Mr. Mustapha Sanneh, a former Welfare Officer; and Fatou Ndow Ceesay, who previously served as Deputy Treasurer and Internal Auditor. Their comeback is widely seen as a vote of confidence in unity, experience and continuity.

Governance Reforms Take Centre Stage

The newly elected board will operate under a restructured governance model designed to align the association with modern charity management standards. The reforms introduce a clear division between strategic oversight and daily administration, in line with guidelines from the UK Charity Commission.

Under the new framework, the Board of Trustees will focus on policy direction, accountability and long-term planning, while a professional administrative team—headed by the Secretary General—will manage day-to-day operations. The move is expected to enhance transparency, efficiency and sustainability across UKJA’s programmes.

A Decade of Service to Jarra

Established on 15 August 2015 by Jarrankas living in the United Kingdom, the UK Jarra Association is a registered charity in both England and The Gambia. Over the past decade, it has become a key driver of educational, health and community development initiatives across Jarra and the wider Lower River Region.

The association’s impact is visible through landmark projects such as the establishment of science and computer laboratories in Soma and Bureng, the renovation of the Soma Upper and Senior Secondary School library, and the expansion of the Soma Maternity Ward. UKJA has also supplied vital medical equipment and created a scholarship scheme to support outstanding students from the region.

Eyes on the Future

With a blend of seasoned leadership and fresh perspectives, the new Board of Trustees is expected to steer UKJA into a period of strengthened governance, deeper community engagement and more impactful development projects.

As the association looks ahead, expectations are high that UKJA will continue to build on its strong legacy while positioning itself to meet the evolving needs of the Jarra community at home and abroad.

A RESPONSE TO BABAGALLEH JALLOW: LAW IS NOT OPTIONAL, MORALITY IS NOT SELECTIVE

Babagalleh Jallow as the NPP Diaspora Coordinator and a founding member of the party who is supporting His Excellency President Adama Barrow’s bid to contest the 2026 Presidential Election its duty- binding to respond to your morally selective advice to President Adama Barrow.

Your recent open letter to His Excellency President Adama Barrow is neither neutral advice nor principled statesmanship. It is a carefully packaged political opinion masquerading as moral authority, and it collapses under the weight of its own contradictions—legal, logical, and ethical.

You boldly declare that President Barrow’s bid for the 2026 Presidential Election is “legally right but morally wrong.” That single sentence exposes the fundamental weakness of your argument: you seek to elevate your personal moral judgment above the supreme law of The Gambia, while conveniently excusing yourself from the same moral standard you demand of others.

Let us start with the law, because in a constitutional democracy, law is not a suggestion—it is the foundation.

Let's base our argument on the point law i mean the Constitution of The Gambia on this matter and later i will talk about morality and your very track records.

 The Constitution Is Supreme, Not Personal Morality

And it says 

Section 4 of the 1997 Constitution is unequivocal: the Constitution is the supreme law of The Gambia.

 There is no constitutional provision that bars President Adama Barrow from contesting the 2026 election. None. Zero.

In law, what is not prohibited is permitted. That is the essence of legality. To argue otherwise is to invite rule by personal conscience instead of rule of law, a dangerous doctrine that Africa knows too well.

If moral opinion were sufficient to override constitutional rights, then no elected office would ever be secure, and elections would be governed by who shouts “morality” the loudest.

 You Cannot Weaponize Morality Selectively

You insist President Barrow must abandon his constitutional right in the name of morality. Yet when you yourself were confronted with a moral duty, you chose legality over morality.

President Barrow trusted you and appointed you Executive Secretary of the TRRC—a body tasked with one of the most sensitive national assignments in our history: truth, justice, and reconciliation.

You resigned before the completion of the TRRC’s work to pursue personal interests.

Yes, you resigned legally.

 But was it morally right?

Did you pause to consider:

the moral obligation to victims?

the institutional disruption your departure caused?

the national interest in continuity and closure?

You did not.

You relied on the law, not morality, to justify your decision.

So we must ask plainly:

When it was about you, legality was enough.

When it is about President Barrow, legality is suddenly insufficient.

Is that fairness?

 Is that consistency?

 Is that moral integrity?

 Moral Obligation Cannot Be Invented After the Fact

You repeatedly invoke “promises,” “expectations,” and “moral duties” allegedly owed by President Barrow. But in constitutional governance, political promises do not override constitutional text.

Coalition agreements are political instruments, not superior law.

 Campaign assurances are not constitutional amendments.

 Moral expectations do not extinguish legal rights.

If they did, then every president would be bound forever by the shifting interpretations of past supporters—even when the legal framework remains unchanged.

That is not democracy. That is political blackmail.

Comparing Barrow to Jammeh Is Intellectually Dishonest

You invoke Yahya Jammeh to frighten the public. This is deeply irresponsible.

Jammeh abused power illegally, manipulated the Constitution, ruled by decree, jailed and killed citizens, and rejected electoral defeat.

President Barrow:

operates under constitutional limits,

submits to elections,

respects court decisions,

and governs in an open political environment.

To suggest that exercising a clear constitutional right is the first step toward dictatorship is not caution—it is fear-mongering.

.Democracy Is About Choice, Not Moral Gatekeeping 

The Gambian people are not children who need political elites to decide who may or may not contest elections.

If President Barrow is unworthy, vote him out.

 If Gambians believe he deserves another term, that is their sovereign right.

Democracy does not mean limiting choices to satisfy the moral comfort of former officials who can no longer command public support.

The Real Issue: Politics, Not Morality

Let us be honest.

Many who suddenly oppose President Barrow’s candidacy are:

former insiders who lost influence,

failed aspirants who cannot win elections,

and self-appointed moral arbiters who cannot persuade voters.

Unable to defeat him at the ballot box, they now seek to disqualify him through moral arguments that have no legal standing.

That is not patriotism. That is political expediency.

Final Question to You, Babagalleh Jallow

You ask President Barrow to sacrifice his legal right for morality.

So we ask you:

Were you morally right to abandon the TRRC before its work was completed?

Were you fair to President Barrow who trusted you?

Were you fair to the Gambian people who expected continuity and closure?

Morality that is selective is not morality.

 Principle that bends for self-interest is not principle.

President Adama Barrow’s bid for 2026 is constitutional, lawful, democratic, and legitimate. The rest is opinion—yours included.

And in a democracy, opinions do not override the Constitution.

Yaya Dampha NPP Diaspora Coordinator 

A Response to Ousainou Darboe: Law, Facts, and Responsibility Over Reckless Rhetoric

By Yaya Dampha NPP Diaspora Coordinator Sweden 

Hon. Ousainou Darboe’s recent statement in Essau exposes not strength, but desperation. Poor attendance on the UDP’s so-called nationwide tour appears to be weighing heavily on its leadership, and instead of sober reflection, the party has once again resorted to inflammatory rhetoric, fear-mongering, and veiled threats of confrontation. Gambian youths are awake now. This is not 1996, not 2016, and certainly not an era where young people will die for anyone’s personal lust for the presidency.

Let us speak plainly—and factually.

 The Law Is Clear: No Third Term Exists Under the 1997 Constitution

President Adama Barrow is serving his first term under the 1997 Constitution, elected in 2021. The 2016–2021 transition period was explicitly recognized as a transitional mandate, not governed by term limits under the current constitutional order. This is not opinion; it is constitutional fact. Until a new constitution is adopted and applied retroactively—which the UDP itself failed to deliver while controlling key state institutions—the two-term limit under the 1997 Constitution does not bar President Barrow from contesting in 2026.

Political arguments cannot override constitutional law.

UDP’s Selective Amnesia on Promises and Failures

It is deeply ironic for UDP leaders to accuse others of broken promises when:

The UDP failed to deliver a new constitution despite controlling the National Assembly.

The party walked away from national consensus and compromise.

UDP leadership prioritized party dominance over constitutional reform.

Promises do not become law simply because they are repeated at political rallies.

 A Dangerous History the UDP Refuses to Confront

Before lecturing the nation on accountability, Hon. Darboe must answer serious moral questions:

How many lives were cut short during moments of political unrest fueled by confrontational opposition politics?

How many Gambians were jailed, intimidated, or dragged into prolonged legal battles because of UDP-led political brinkmanship?

How many women were widowed, and how many children orphaned, because politics was turned into a do-or-die struggle for State House?

These are not rhetorical flourishes; they are real consequences of reckless leadership. Gambians remember April 2000. Gambians remember violent protests. Gambians remember the cost.

.No One Has a Monopoly on Democracy

The UDP does not own democracy, does not interpret the constitution alone, and does not decide who may or may not contest elections. Democracy is upheld through institutions, courts, laws, and ballots, not street pressure or threats of “action” outside legal frameworks.

Any call that hints at unrest or confrontation is not democratic—it is irresponsible.

 The Youth Are No Longer Tools

Gambian youths today are educated, aware, and politically mature. They are demanding jobs, development, stability, and peace—not recycled slogans and political intimidation. No sensible youth will sacrifice their life so that one man or one party can fulfill an endless ambition for power.

Leadership means restraint. Leadership means respect for the law. Leadership means putting country above self.

. 2026 Will Be Decided by Ballots, Not Bullets

If the UDP believes it has the people, then the path is simple: campaign peacefully, present policies, and face the electorate. But attempts to delegitimize constitutional processes or incite public anger will fail. Gambians want peace, continuity, and lawful governance—not chaos disguised as activism.

Conclusion

Hon. Darboe should pause, reflect, and recalibrate. Politics should not be driven by frustration over empty grounds and fading influence. The Gambia has suffered too much to return to politics of anger, threats, and division.

The law will prevail. The people will decide. And the future of The Gambia will not be hostage to any individual’s ambition—no matter how loud their voice at a rally.

Enough is enough.

PARLIAMENTARIAN OF THE YEAR – AWARD CITATION Honouring Maimuna Ceesay Darboe

PARLIAMENTARIAN OF THE YEAR – AWARD CITATION

Honouring Maimuna Ceesay Darboe

Today, we celebrate a leader whose service exemplifies integrity, courage, and results-driven representation. This Parliamentarian of the Year Award is proudly bestowed upon Honourable Maimuna Ceesay Darboe, a public servant whose record stands as a benchmark for accountability, effective leadership, and unwavering commitment to the people.

Honourable Maimuna Ceesay Darboe has distinguished herself as a parliamentarian who does not merely speak for the people, but delivers for them. According to National Audit Reports, her stewardship of the Constituency Development Fund has been exemplary—judiciously managed, transparently applied, and faithfully delivered to meet the real needs of her constituents. In an era where public trust is earned through action, her constituency stands as living proof of responsible governance.

Within the National Assembly, Honourable Maimuna is respected as a vocal, principled, and fearless advocate. She contributes meaningfully to debates, raises issues of national importance, and upholds the values of accountability and justice. Her voice is not only heard—it is heeded.

Beyond national borders, her leadership resonates at the regional level. As a distinguished member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Honourable Maimuna has earned recognition for her competence and diplomacy, culminating in her recent election as Committee Secretary—a testament to the confidence her peers place in her capacity to lead, organize, and deliver results on a regional stage.

Within the National People’s Party (NPP), Honourable Maimuna Ceesay Darboe remains a formidable political force—assertive, principled, and steadfast. As NPP Diaspora Secretary, she has demonstrated exceptional organizational leadership and dedication. Under her guidance, the NPP Diaspora achieved an unprecedented milestone, mobilizing and raising over 24 million Gambian Dalasis in support of the party’s campaign during the historic gathering in Bañola, Spain. This achievement stands as a powerful symbol of unity, trust, and effective leadership.

Honourable Maimuna’s journey is defined by service anchored in faith, discipline, and a deep sense of responsibility. She leads with conviction, serves with humility, and delivers with excellence—making her not only deserving of this honour, but a role model for present and future generations of leaders.

Anti-Crime Command Decorates Newly Promoted Officers

By JarranewsTV Staff Reporter, Banjul

The Anti-Crime Command of the Gambia Police Force on Friday held a decoration ceremony for newly promoted officers at the Anti-Crime Complex in Brufut, in a move aimed at recognising excellence, boosting morale, and reinforcing professionalism within the Force.

Twenty-five (25) officers, recently elevated to ranks ranging from Sergeant to Assistant Superintendent of Police, were formally decorated during the ceremony, which was attended by senior police officers, family members, and well-wishers.

Speaking on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Operations, AIG Pateh Jallow, congratulated the officers on their promotions. He reminded them that higher rank comes with greater responsibility, increased leadership expectations, and heightened accountability to the public. He urged the officers to continue upholding discipline, integrity, and operational efficiency in the execution of their duties.

The Gambia Police Force called on all personnel to emulate the dedication, professionalism, and commitment demonstrated by the newly promoted officers. The Anti-Crime Command also commended the Police leadership for sustaining a merit-based promotion system, describing it as vital for motivation, institutional discipline, and strengthening public trust in the Police.