Gambia’s Bensouda backs peaceful protests without a permit
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Kerr Fatou
Gambian presidential candidate Talib Ahmed Bensouda says citizens can hold peaceful demonstrations outside the presidential palace without police authorisation. At a Coalition 2026 rally in Banjul, the UNITE leader cited constitutional freedoms of assembly and expression, according to Kerr Fatou.
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, leader of the UNITE party and Coalition 2026’s candidate in Gambia’s presidential election, says citizens can stage peaceful protests outside State House without a police permit, Kerr Fatou reports. He defended this position at a coalition rally in Banjul, citing the constitutional freedoms of assembly, association and expression.
Bensouda criticised President Adama Barrow for remarks made during his meet-the-people tour in Banjul, where he reportedly raised the possibility of protesters being shot at under former president Yahya Jammeh. The candidate also called on Barrow to leave office and accused his administration of compromising national sovereignty by allowing foreign actors to intervene in sensitive areas of governance and security.
The leader of UNITE said that if elected, he would entrust his personal security to Gambian soldiers rather than foreign forces. He also predicted that he would become president in January, after the presidential election scheduled for December.
