Investigative Journalist Rejects Government Media Licensing Plan, Citing Role of Press in Gambia’s Democratic Transition

By Makutu Manneh

Mustapha K. Darboe, an investigative journalist with The Republic, has rejected a government proposal to introduce mandatory registration and licensing for journalists, warning that it would undermine press freedom and recalling the media’s role in The Gambia’s democratic transition.

Responding to remarks by Information Minister Dr. Ismaila Ceesay during an interview on Kerr Fatou, Mr. Darboe pushed back against the idea of state approval for journalists, arguing that requiring it would constitute government control over the press.

He pointed to the 2016–2017 political transition, saying he personally reported on the 10 days of political developments that culminated in the change of government. During that period, he noted, figures who are now in public office, including Dr. Njogou L. Bah—currently Director General of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)—had opposed what he described as “this freedom.”

“And now for me to entertain this idea of going to sit in front of Dr. Njogou Bah to grant me the freedom to become a journalist. Nobody should accept that,” Mr. Darboe said.

He added that even if the Gambia Press Union did not boycott any proposed regulation, he would personally refuse to comply. “So we are clear, even if they insist on going ahead with this regulation, we will not be subjected to it,” he said.

Mr. Darboe said the core duty of journalists is to ensure that citizens have access to information necessary to make informed decisions, not to influence how they use that information or in whose favor.

He cautioned against what he described as attempts by the state to exert control over the media, noting that public trust in journalists, in his view, remains higher than confidence in government institutions.

“The public that journalists serve expects us to watch over the executive, parliament, and judiciary and report to them,” he said. “But you now say the executive should also control us. It doesn’t work like that.”