Arrested Youth at GALA Anniversary Accuses Parliamentarians of Neglect and Over-Politicization

Muhammed Sillah

By Makutu Manneh

A young demonstrator detained during an anniversary gathering of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) on Friday criticized lawmakers for what he described as a pattern of political infighting in Parliament, saying it has come at the expense of ordinary citizens facing economic hardship.

The demonstrator, Muhammed Sillah, was among several youths arrested at the Youth Monument in Westfield during a commemoration marking one year since the group’s formation. Speaking from the back of a police pickup truck at the time of his arrest, Mr. Sillah questioned the basis for the detentions and accused public officials of losing sight of the public’s struggles.

“We have not committed any crime; we came here just to commemorate, to celebrate,” he said. “What crime have we committed? We are not weaponized or carrying any fearful tool.

Mr. Sillah said the arrests reflected a broader climate in which citizens feel constrained while political leaders engage in what he described as partisan maneuvering. “This is what ordinary people face every day,” he said, adding that “everyone is a victim,” including the police officers carrying out the arrests.

He also challenged the notion that The Gambia is a poor country, citing what he described as the visible affluence of some public officials. “All the department heads of public offices are driving expensive cars worth D3 to D4 million, and you call this country poor,” he said.

Several members of GALA were taken into custody and held at Kairaba Police Station following the gathering. As of Friday evening, the authorities had not issued a public statement explaining the arrests or outlining any charges.