Prominent Gambian activist Ali Cham has urged fellow activists to prioritize grassroots mobilization and strategic community engagement following a protest against persistent electricity outages organized by Gambian anti-corruption movement, Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) on Thursday morning.
Although Cham did not directly mention the demonstration or any specific group in his remarks, his comments came shortly after activists staged a protest against the recurring power outages that have for weeks, affected communities across The Gambia.
In a statement shared on social media, Cham argued that activists should avoid overestimating their influence and instead focus on building stronger connections with ordinary citizens.
“Until we activists recognize and realize that we are not no Ousman Sonko and we don’t have authority over the masses like we think we do in our heads, we will keep having low turnouts.”
GALA was granted a permit by the Inspector General of Police on Wednesday.
Ali Cham’s remarks have sparked discussion among activists and other concerned Gambians.
The protest against the National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) was organized in response to ongoing power disruptions that have affected businesses, households, and public services across the country. While organizers sought to draw attention to the issue, the turnout appeared noticeably smaller than some of their previous mobilizations, prompting debate over the current state of public activism and citizen participation.