Banjul mayor condemns media regulation drive

By Dawda Baldeh

The Mayor of Banjul City Council, Rohey Malick Lowe, has issued a strong rebuke against the sudden push for new media regulations, warning it is a calculated attempt to silence independent voices.

In a statement on Wednesday, she said: “The sudden rush to impose new media regulations cannot go unchallenged. We have seen this playbook before, when women rise to lead, obstacles appear overnight, crafted not to strengthen governance but to frustrate and undermine.”

Mayor Lowe accused proponents of acting out of “convenience and control rather than principle,” questioning why such urgency was absent under previous male‑led administrations. “Power rarely concedes without resistance,” she said.

She expressed solidarity with Gambia Press Union president Isatou Keita, dismissing attempts to undermine her leadership: “You did not earn this position as a favour. You fought for it, you deserved it, and no coordinated attempt to discredit or weaken you will erase the legacy you are building for journalism in this country.”

Framing the issue as a national concern, Lowe warned: “When they target independent journalists, they target all of us. When they try to silence her, they are trying to silence the truth, and we will not allow it.”

She concluded with a defiant call to action: “Madam President, keep leading. We stand firmly with you. The people are watching, and we will not be silent.”

The mayor’s remarks underscore growing tensions over press freedom in The Gambia, with critics viewing the regulation push as a threat to democracy itself.