By Makutu Manneh
David Kujabi, Programme and Communications Officer at the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), says ongoing security sector reforms have contributed to reducing the involvement of The Gambia’s security forces in political affairs since 2017.
Speaking on GRTS, Kujabi said security institutions are increasingly focused on carrying out their constitutional mandates, describing the shift as one of the gains of the country’s security sector reform process.
He said legal reforms have been an important part of the process, with proposed legislation intended to strengthen the professionalism and independence of security institutions and ensure that they serve the public rather than political interests.
“We now have a Gambia Police Force Bill and Gambia Immigration Bill because it seeks to ensure that we, the security operators, act in the interest of the population rather than the establishment, and that is where we are moving,” Kujabi said.
Beyond legislative reforms, Kujabi said DCAF has been working with security institutions to promote changes in institutional culture and professional conduct through the development of policies and standards.
He said the organization has worked closely with the Gambia Police Force and the Gambia Immigration Department as part of those efforts.
Kujabi also highlighted DCAF’s support for the Gambia Police Force’s Human Rights and Professional Standards Unit, saying the unit now has a policy framework to guide its work in addressing human rights concerns involving police personnel.
While acknowledging that significant resources have been invested in security sector reform since 2017, Kujabi said the challenge now is ensuring that the progress achieved is sustained.
He said passing the proposed legislative reforms into law and ensuring their effective implementation would be critical to consolidating the gains made through the reform process.
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