Gambia’s government has dismissed reports suggesting that three people had died as anti-government demonstrators clashed with police on Sunday.
The reports quoted the CEO of the Serekunda General Hospital, Kebba Manneh as saying three people had died of suffocation from teargas fired by personnel of the Police Intervention Unit in an attempt to disperse demonstrators in the town of Jeshwang, six miles from the capital Banjul.
However, a statement by Ebrima Sankareh, a spokesman of the Presidency claimed there was no death during the demonstration.
“Audio messages and false reports trending on social media about fatalities is all propaganda as not a single person died during today’s demonstration” the statement maintained.
The African Press Agency has also learnt that the CEO of the Serekunda General Hospital has also denied confirming the reported deaths.
Earlier on Sunday protesters demanding President Adama Barrow to step down clashed with members of the Police Intervention Unit (PIU) who fired rubber bullets and teargas on protesters at the main roundabout in Gambia’s biggest municipality.
Shops have been forced to close and traffic especially on the highway to Banjul was disrupted throughout Sunday as protesters burnt tires on the roads and engaged the PIU personnel in running battles, causing widespread public panic.
The Inspector General of Police has announced that it was cancelling the permit issued to the protesters over an alleged violation of the terms and conditions for allowing them to take to the streets.
The police warned “individuals who may wish to join the protest…to stay home until the situation is put under control.”
An intersection just outside the town of Bakau was the authorised venue for the protest.
Plumes of smoke from burning tires and teargas carnisters darkened the skies around Jeshwang as protesters burned tires and confronted PIU personnels.
Several among the protesters have been injured, according to some reports which have not been verified.
Local media reports suggests that several leaders of Sunday’s protest have been arrested.
The protesters dubbed, “Three Years Jotna,” (Three Years are up) were protesting for the second time in weeks, calling on President Barrow to honour a promise he made to head a three-year transition period after which he would resign and call for snap elections in which he will not be a candidate.
Barrow led an opposition coalition which defeated Yahya Jammeh in the 2016 presidential election.
The police issued a permit for the Three Years Jotna movement’s first protest in December, 2019, which drew tens of thousands of demonstrators but ended peacefully.
A counter demonstration by another movement was held recently in support of Barrow’s decision to go for a full five-year mandate in accordance with The Gambian constitution.
EJ/as/APA