By Yankuba Jallow
Tension is mounting within The Gambia’s Judiciary as over 350 support staff members demand explanations from the Chief Justice over what they describe as an “unfulfilled” promise of a pay rise. The discontent arises on the heels of the recent passage of the Judicial Officers (Conditions of Service) Bill 2025, which significantly increased the salaries and benefits of judges, magistrates, cadis, and senior judicial officers, but excluded the lower-tier workers who keep the courts running.
Through their umbrella body, the Judiciary Staff Association, the aggrieved employees, including court clerks, registrars, process servers, transcribers, bailiffs, drivers, and cleaners, have petitioned the Chief Justice, demanding answers and immediate action. Sources told Foroyaa that the staff had previously met the Chief Justice during consultations for the Bill, during which he reportedly assured them that they would be included in the new pay structure. But to their disappointment, the Bill was passed without any provision for them.
“The judges and magistrates cannot function without us. We are the clerks, the process servers, drivers, registrars, bailiffs, transcribers, and cleaners. They cannot increase their pay and forget us,” one source lamented.
The support staff say they feel betrayed after what they described as a “false promise” from the head of the Judiciary. Some recalled that they had staged a similar strike on November 18, 2020, over low pay and poor working conditions, a protest that paralysed court activities nationwide. “We are ready for a meaningful dialogue with the authorities, but we cannot sit and watch them do what they are doing. If they fail to meet our demands, we will embark on a sit-down strike,” said another source.
The Judicial Officers (Conditions of Service) Bill 2025 was passed by the National Assembly last week. It outlines extensive salary and allowance packages for top judicial officers, with monthly fuel allowances alone reaching tens of thousands of dalasis. According to the approved scale, the Chief Justice will now receive D70,000 as fuel allowance, while Supreme Court Judges each get D35,000. The President of the Court of Appeal will receive D30,000, and both Judges of the Court of Appeal and High Court Judges each get D30,000 and D25,000 respectively.
The Bill also details substantial monthly salaries and benefits across various judicial ranks. The Chief Justice tops the list with a basic salary of D100,000 and a total allowance package amounting to D290,000, including D10,000 for telephone, D50,000 for housing, D70,000 responsibility allowance, D20,000 for special skills, D18,000 for utilities, D10,000 for domestic staff, and D12,000 for robing.
Each Supreme Court Judge will receive a basic salary of D70,000, plus allowances totalling D211,000. This includes D8,000 for telephone, D35,000 for housing, D50,000 for responsibility, D15,000 for special skills, D14,000 for utilities, D9,000 for domestic staff, and D10,000 for robbing.
The President of the Court of Appeal will earn D61,000 as basic salary, plus D129,000 in allowances, bringing the total to D190,000. The allowances include D7,000 for telephone, D30,000 for housing, D48,000 for responsibility, D12,000 for special skills, D13,000 for utilities, D9,000 for domestic staff, and D10,000 for robbing.
Judges of the Court of Appeal will each receive D55,000 basic pay and D115,000 in allowances, totalling D170,000 monthly. High Court Judges will take home D50,000 basic salary and D104,000 in allowances, bringing their total to D154,000 per month.
The Judicial Secretary will go home each month with D75,447.15 net pay, consisting of D29,250 basic salary and allowances amounting to D52,342.98, including D4,000 for telephone, D6,000 for housing, D15,000 responsibility, D9,842.98 special skills, D10,000 residential, D10,000 risk, and D4,000 robing.
His deputy and the Master of the High Court will each receive D62,306.34 net pay monthly, including a D16,964 basic salary and D50,000 in allowances. These allowances cover D4,000 telephone, D6,000 house rent, D10,000 responsibility, D5,000 special skills, D3,500 residential, D7,000 risk, D10,500 monetised fuel, and D4,000 robbing.
At the magistracy, the Chief Magistrate earns a gross pay of D51,615, with a net pay of D47,544.59 after tax. The Principal Magistrates each get a net pay of D37,514.59, while Senior Magistrates and Senior Cadis receive D35,843.09 net. Magistrates get D34,762.50 net, and each Principal Cadi takes home D37,514.59 net, whereas Cadis receive D29,762 net.
At the High Court, the Sheriff — who heads the Sheriff Division — earns D61,615 gross, and D57,544.59 net, with a monthly allowance of D47,000. The Ulama at the Cadi Appeals Panel will each receive D55,964 gross and D51,306.34 net.
This pay structure, approved by the National Assembly, has sharply divided opinions both inside and outside the Judiciary. While senior judicial officers welcomed it as long-overdue recognition of their constitutional roles, the support staff viewed it as a symbol of inequality and disregard.
The discontent also reflects a deeper history of disillusionment. In September 2023, the National Assembly rejected the Judicial Officers Remuneration and Other Entitlements Bill, which was later reintroduced by the Minister of Justice but faced strong opposition again in 2024. Street protests followed, forcing the Minister to withdraw that Bill and replace it with the current Judicial Officers (Conditions of Service) Bill 2025.
Now that the Bill has passed all legislative stages and awaits presidential assent, the Judiciary faces renewed internal issues. “We were part of the judiciary when they fought for better conditions, but we are left behind. They did not consider us,” one frustrated staff member told Foroyaa.
With the petition now before the Chief Justice, the support staff have made it clear they will not remain silent if their concerns are ignored. “We will strike again if they don’t fulfil their promise,” a worker warned, evoking memories of the 2020 strike that crippled court operations across the country.
As the Judiciary awaits the President’s assent to the Bill, pressure mounts on the Chief Justice to either negotiate or face another industrial action that could once again disrupt the country’s justice system.
Foroyaa is monitoring
