However, according to the spokesperson of GALA, Omar Saibo Camara, the IGP has on the 7th May, denied them permit without reason.
Speaking to the media, Mr. Camara expressed that in the letter addressed to the GALA, they have been informed that the permit request was not approved. “The police did not state any reason for the denial of permit.”
“The action of the police is an attempt to censor us and deny us of our fundamental human rights to peaceful protest. This is yet another affront on the Gambian people by the Gambia Police force,” Camara said.
“We condemn the IGP's denial of our rights to protest and we will take none of it. We call on all Gambians to stand in opposition to this unlawful behaviour of the police and come out in their thousands to take to the streets.”
He noted that they have demands they want the government to meet.
“Our clear demands are: 1. Immediate publication of the full list of all seized and sold assets, including buyer names and final sale prices. 2. Full disclosure of the allocation of proceeds, including any payments to intermediaries or agents. 3. Independent public oversight of the asset‑disposal process by the National Assembly, the National Audit Office, and civil‑society representatives. 4. Immediate withdrawal of the nomination of the former Minister of Justice Abubacarr Ba Tambedou to the ICC. 5. We call on the President of the republic to immediately address the nation regarding the unforgivable findings that threaten our collective progress as a people.”
He clarified that this protest is not political. “It is a call for truth, justice, and the restoration of public trust. We invite all Gambian students, workers, survivors of past injustices, and patriots to stand with us. This is a defining moment for our democracy and governance. The work of the Janneh Commission and the TRRC must not fade into secrecy,” he emphasised.
