UTG Students Union Condemns Congress Violence and Acknowledges Procedural Failures

By Seedy Jobe

The University of The Gambia Students’ Union said on Thursday that its final Congress session descended into “chaos, disruption, and physical violence,” as it issued a formal apology to students and acknowledged violations of its own constitutional procedures.

In a statement released a day after the May 13 gathering at the Kanifing Campus Auditorium, the union’s 23rd Executive Council conceded that it had failed to circulate its audited financial report within the timeframe required by the UTGSU Constitution. The report was shared just 13 hours before Congress, short of the mandated three working days.

“This is a clear violation of the constitutional requirement,” the council said, adding that it took “full accounting of this failure.”

According to the statement, the breach was disclosed at the opening of Congress by the Speaker, who placed the matter before delegates. The assembly voted to proceed with the presentation of the report, invoking its authority under Section 63(4) of the Constitution.

Tensions escalated, however, when the finance minister began delivering the report. A group of students approached the stage in protest, citing the same procedural lapse. The council said that while the objection reflected “a genuine commitment to constitutional compliance,” the disruption itself contravened the decision already taken by Congress.

“The disruption at the podium was therefore not a constitutional remedy; it was an act of disorder against a decision Congress had already made,” the statement said.

The situation deteriorated into physical and verbal confrontations, prompting a broader condemnation from the union leadership. The council said such conduct violated provisions requiring students to uphold unity and respect within the university community.

“Violence in any form has no place in student governance, in democratic deliberation, or within the community of the University of The Gambia,” the statement read.

The council expressed solidarity with students injured during the incident, identifying them as Salimina Makalo, Sophie Sissoho, and Assiatou Jallow.

In a further acknowledgment of responsibility, the union said some members of the Executive Council themselves had taken part in the disorder, describing their actions as inconsistent with both constitutional obligations and the oath of office.

“On behalf of the 23rd Executive Council, we offer our sincere and unreserved apology to the student body for this failure,” the statement said.

Despite the disruption, Congress proceeded to adopt several key reports, including the audited financial report, the Auditor General’s findings, and submissions from both the Legislative Body and Judicial Tribunal. The council described the outcome as evidence of “the resilience of the institution.”

The statement attributed the breakdown in part to the influence of partisan politics within the student body, warning against what it called the “toxic intrusion” of external political affiliations into union affairs. It urged the incoming 24th Executive Council to prioritize constitutional order and resist factional pressures.

The outgoing leadership concluded by reaffirming what it described as the union’s guiding principle: that student governance must remain focused on the collective interests of the student body.