By: Isatou Sarr
The National Coordinator of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), Hakeem Touray, has said the movement no longer considers it necessary to seek police permission before organising public demonstrations, arguing that government policies are often implemented without public consultation.
Touray made the remarks while speaking on Kerr Fatou’s “The Grand Bantaba” programme on Friday, 12 June 2026, following GALA’s notification to the Gambia Police Force of its intention to stage a peaceful protest at the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) over ongoing electricity outages.
He said citizens are routinely affected by government decisions without consultation and therefore should not be required to seek authorisation before exercising their right to protest.
Touray stressed that GALA’s approach is to notify the police of planned demonstrations rather than seek authorisation, while acknowledging the role of law enforcement in maintaining public order and ensuring safety during public gatherings.
He said the group submitted a notification letter to the police on Monday but had not received any response as of Wednesday afternoon.
According to him, such notifications are typically followed by police engagement to discuss logistical arrangements, including protest routes and timing, but no communication had yet been received.
Touray added that GALA remains ready to cooperate with security agencies on crowd control and traffic management during any planned demonstration.
The planned protest comes amid public concern over persistent electricity outages affecting households and businesses across the country.