As the Gambia Press Union (GPU) commemorates the 10th Edition of the National Journalism Awards, the milestone offers more than a celebration of individual excellence. It is a moment for the nation to confront an uncomfortable truth: journalism in The Gambia remains both indispensable and endangered.
This year’s theme — “A Decade of Excellence: Strengthening Journalism for Democracy, Accountability and the Safety of Journalists” — could not be more fitting. For ten years, these awards have honored the best in Gambian storytelling, but they have also quietly chronicled the evolving struggle for press freedom. GPU President Isatou Keita captured this tension when she paid tribute to the pioneers who imagined a system that rewards courageous, ethical reporting. Their foresight helped build a culture where journalists now pursue stories that deepen transparency and justice in public life.
Indeed, the impact is undeniable. Award-winning reporting has exposed gaps in governance, illuminated the complexities of transitional justice, and brought socio-economic injustices into public view. These stories have strengthened civic engagement and reminded the country that democracy does not survive on elections alone—it survives on scrutiny.
And yet, even as journalists are celebrated, they remain constrained. Keita’s remarks drew attention to this contradiction. The Criminal Offences Act, 2025, which threatens reporters with hefty fines and imprisonment, stands as a stark reminder that hostile laws can silence even the most principled voices. The Cybercrime Bill of 2023, cloaked in the language of public safety, risks becoming another tool to deter investigative work. Legislating fear is not governance; it is an attempt to control the narrative.
The barriers do not end there. The Access to Information Law of 2021 was meant to dismantle the longstanding culture of secrecy within public institutions. Four years later, many offices still lack designated information officers, and requests from journalists regularly go unanswered. A transparency law that is not implemented is not merely ineffective—it is symbolic, a gesture without substance.
Yet amid these challenges, there are glimmers of progress. The government’s allocation of land in Brusubi for a National Press Bantaba is a meaningful step toward institutionalizing a strong and stable media sector. A five-storey headquarters that houses the GPU, MAJaC, affiliated organizations, and the Media Council of The Gambia is more than a building. It is an architectural commitment to sustainability, professional training, and the belief that journalism deserves permanence—not constant displacement.
As Keita rightly emphasized, the future of press freedom cannot rest on the shoulders of journalists alone. It requires political will, legal reform, and consistent support from development partners and civil society. It requires a public that understands that freedom of expression is not a privilege for the media but a right for everyone.
Ten years of awards is an achievement. But the next decade must bring something greater: a Gambia where journalists can work without fear, where access to information is not an obstacle course, and where excellence is not celebrated once a year but protected every day.
The GPU has done its part by honoring courage and professionalism. It is now up to the nation to ensure that the conditions for such excellence not only exist—but endure.