By Fatou Krubally
The Gambia Press Union (GPU) Monday launched a six-day training programme on investigative journalism, election reporting and fact-checking to strengthen media coverage ahead of the 2026 presidential and 2027 parliamentary elections.
The training, held at the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), is part of the newly approved Strengthening Electoral Integrity and Accountability project, funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and implemented by the GPU in partnership with The Republic.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, GPU Vice-President Sheriff Saidykhan described the initiative as timely and significant, noting that investigative journalism was essential to exposing corruption, countering misinformation and providing citizens with credible information.
He urged journalists to prioritise accuracy over speed and ensure their reports were supported by verifiable evidence.
Saidykhan said the training would strengthen participants’ ability to report ethically, identify hate speech and produce conflict-sensitive coverage, particularly during the electoral period.
The programme forms part of the DOCT project, which seeks to empower voters through transparency and accountability.
Participants will acquire practical skills in tracking public procurement, examining asset declarations and investigating corruption. The training will also cover digital security, secure communication and the protection of confidential sources.
Delivering the keynote address, Madi Jobarteh, chief executive officer of the Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice, warned that The Gambia’s democratic transition remained fragile.
“Democracy is not sustained by elections alone. It is strengthened when citizens have access to accurate, verifiable, and independent information,” Jobarteh said.
He identified a culture of impunity, weaknesses in public financial controls and the rapid spread of misinformation in digital spaces as challenges to democratic accountability, particularly during elections.
Jobarteh urged journalists to move beyond reactive reporting and investigate issues such as campaign financing, public procurement and corruption, while verifying digital content before publication.
The training comprises three interconnected components: investigative journalism, election reporting and fact-checking.
The investigative journalism module will focus on following public funds, examining procurement processes and analysing asset declarations. Election reporting will address ethical, inclusive and conflict-sensitive coverage throughout the electoral cycle, while fact-checking will equip participants with skills to verify claims, authenticate digital content and use open-source intelligence.
Jobarteh described the participants as “the vanguard of a more informed and accountable Gambia”, stressing that their professionalism and integrity were essential to safeguarding democracy.
Both speakers underscored the media’s responsibility to hold public officials accountable and provide citizens with reliable information.
“Freedom is not a privilege granted by those in power. It is a right enshrined in our constitution. Your professionalism is your shield, and your integrity is your sword,” Jobarteh told the journalists.
The initiative will also produce a media handbook on audit reporting in collaboration with the National Audit Office, according to the organisers.
The GPU said a free, independent and professional media was essential to promoting transparency, accountability and good governance as The Gambia approaches its next electoral cycle.