africa
-
BANJUL, The Gambia—In a small nation celebrated for its 2016 democratic revolution, a crisis is unfolding within the United Democratic Party (UDP), The Gambia’s largest opposition force. As the 2026 presidential election approaches, the UDP—once a symbol of resistance against dictatorship—is tearing itself apart over an agonizing question: Should 76-year-old leader Ousainou Darboe, a five-time presidential
-
Baba Hydara’s eyes hold a grief that time hasn’t softened. His father, the outspoken journalist Deyda Hydara, was gunned down in cold blood nearly two decades ago, a brazen assassination widely attributed to the regime of then-dictator Yahya Jammeh. Baba testified before Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Repatriations Commission (TRRC), baring his family’s wound to the
-
BANJUL, The Gambia — In this slender West African nation, where the Gambia River stitches together communities, a frantic political assembly is underway. As the December 2026 presidential elections approach, The Gambia is witnessing an epidemic of political entrepreneurship. Opportunistic formations like the Reform and Development Party (RDP), launched recently by Imam Musa Jallow, join
-
Banjul’s skyline tells a story of hope and hardship. Gleaming buildings funded by money sent home from abroad stand alongside neighborhoods reliant on that same lifeline. The Gambia’s transformation since the 2016 ousting of dictator Yahya Jammeh is undeniable, and its vibrant diaspora deserves immense credit. Yet, this powerful force for change carries within it
-
In 2016, The Gambia emerged as an unlikely beacon of hope when a fragile coalition of opposition parties toppled dictator Yahya Jammeh, ending his 22-year reign of terror. The victory of Adama Barrow, a businessman turned unity candidate, was hailed as a triumph for democracy in a region increasingly besieged by coups and autocrats. Yet
-
BANJUL — As dawn breaks over the Gambia River, a nation stands at a crossroads unimaginable a decade ago. Emerging from decades of authoritarian rule, The Gambia – one of Africa’s smallest and most densely populated countries – now faces its most audacious challenge: transforming persistent poverty into prosperity within a generation. To achieve this,
The Civic Scribe: Articles & Poems 