By Nelson Manneh
A new Afrobarometer survey reveals that while most Gambians favor democracy, many are increasingly frustrated with the country’s democratic governance.
Conducted by the Center for Research and Policy Development, Afrobarometer surveyed 1,200 adult Gambians between April and May 2024. The results show a complex picture: while 65% of Gambians prefer democracy over other forms of government, half of the population believes that Gambia is “a democracy with major problems” or “not a democracy” at all. This marks a 12-percentage-point increase in dissatisfaction since 2021.
The report highlights the Gambia’s journey since its transition from autocratic rule in 2017 and acknowledges improvements in political freedoms and citizen engagement. However, it emphasizes ongoing issues such as weak governance structures, inconsistent rule of law, and unaccountable public officials.
The survey found that 59% of Gambians are dissatisfied with the state of democracy in their country—a sharp rise of 20 percentage points since 2018.
“Majorities see it as a frequent occurrence that officials who commit crimes go unpunished (59%) and that people are treated unequally under the law (56%),” the report states. “Concerns over executive overreach and impunity further underscore the challenges facing Gambia’s democratic governance.”
As Gambians continue to voice their support for democracy, addressing these systemic flaws remains critical to ensuring a fully functional democratic society.
Afrobarometer is a pan-A`frican, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 10 was launched in January 2024.
Afrobarometer’s national partners also conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice.
The Afrobarometer team in Gambia, led by the Center for Research and Policy Development, interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,200 adult Gambians in April-May 2024.
A sample of this size yields country-level results with a margin of error of +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. Previous surveys were conducted in Gambia in 2018, 2021, and 2022.
