By Makutu Manneh
The Gambian government on Tuesday rejected the notion that a new public opinion survey reflected a democratic repudiation of President Adama Barrow, arguing instead that the findings pointed to what it described as “conditional trust” shaped by high public expectations, economic pressures, and the realities of governing in an open political system.
The response followed the release of a survey by the Center for Research and Policy Studies (CepRass) showing that 56 percent of respondents said they did not trust President Barrow, while 37 percent expressed trust. Government officials said the figures should be understood not as a failure of democratic leadership, but as evidence of a demanding electorate operating in an environment of expanded freedoms.
“Trust in democratic leadership is built through continuous engagement, delivery, and accountability, and the government remains committed to strengthening this trust,” the government said in a statement.
The CepRass survey also asked respondents to compare President Barrow’s performance with that of former presidents Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara and Yahya Jammeh. Fifty-eight percent said Mr. Barrow’s performance was worse or much worse, while 28 percent said it was better or much better, and 12 percent said it was about the same.
The government said it respected the right of citizens to express their views freely but cautioned that such comparisons reflected public sentiment rather than “an objective assessment of governance outcomes across comparable political systems.” Officials emphasized that Mr. Barrow governs under markedly different conditions, characterized by competitive politics, an independent media, and widespread access to social media.
“Under such conditions, dissatisfaction is more visible, more vocal, and more freely expressed than under previous administrations where fear, repression, and censorship limited public opinion,” the statement said.
Furthermore, the government highlighted the impact of social media, stating that the CepRass survey has shown that 76% of respondents access social media and that this plays a significant role in shaping comparative perceptions.
The government said social media platforms often amplify frustration, economic anxiety, and partisan narratives, sometimes without adequate historical or factual balance, and that this can distort comparisons between administrations operating under vastly different democratic conditions.
The Barrow government added that this comparison raises an important question that must be confronted “honestly,” questioning, “How should performance be measured by perception alone, or by democratic standards and institutional realities?”
The government pointed to the survey’s finding that 76 percent of respondents use social media, arguing that online platforms play a significant role in shaping political perceptions. Officials said social media often amplifies economic anxiety, frustration, and partisan narratives, sometimes without sufficient historical or factual context, which can distort comparisons between administrations that operated under vastly different democratic circumstances.
The statement posed what it called a fundamental question: whether presidential performance should be judged solely on perception, or measured against democratic standards and institutional realities.
It cited what it described as the current administration’s record: a country at peace, a pluralistic political system, an independent press, an active civil society, competitive elections and respect for human rights and the rule of law. Officials argued that such conditions did not exist under previous governments, including one led by a former president now internationally wanted for serious crimes and whose rule, they said, was marked by repression and isolation.
In that context, the government said, the unfavorable comparisons reflected opposition frustration ahead of elections, economic pressures that are global in origin but felt locally, and the heightened scrutiny that accompanies democratic openness — not democratic failure.
Officials also noted that public opinion was not uniformly negative. The survey showed that 28 percent of respondents viewed Mr. Barrow’s performance as better or much better than his predecessors’, while another 12 percent saw no significant difference.
“Government remains focused on delivery, reform, and national stability not on governing by perception alone,” the statement said. “Democratic leadership requires patience, institutional building and respect for lawful process, even when criticism is intense.”
The government pledged to continue engaging the public, address shortcomings where they exist, and safeguard the democratic freedoms that allow such surveys — and the criticism they generate — to take place.
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