Gambians have resorted to panic-buying hours ahead of a nervy presidential election, which promises to be the closest race for the country’s top job in a generation, APA can report on Friday.
The Gambia, mainland Africa’s smallest country was plunged into a post-electoral crisis the last time its citizens went to the polls to elect the current President Adama Barrow in December 2016.
There are fears that this country of 1.8 million people could descend into a post-electoral standoff once again, given the strong election campaign rhetoric coming from some of the six contenders for the presidency.
Even by the busy standards of the Old Yundum market, it looked surreal for vendors as a seemingly endless stream of shoppers on Friday morning went on a spirited shopping spree not witnessed there for a long time.
Jittery consumers came to the market in droves and left carting off up to six bags of rice and other provisions with the intention of stockpiling them at home, hoping they will outlast the uncertainty of the post-December 4 presidential election.
Baba Galleh Bah told APA that the exceptional hustle and bustle at the Old Yundum market has been like this for the past few days as the election to determine who becomes The Gambia’s next president inexorably inches closer.
He said as a result of panic buying, stocks of vegetables, fish, meat and even ordinary pepper have been swept away by consumers jittery about what will happen when the presidential poll winner is declared after Saturday’s poll.
Price instability which had been the concern of many Gambians during Barrow’s five years in power has been a hit for some of his rivals while on the campaign trail.
While Barrow has boasted improved economic performance under his watch, his opponents point to the drop in the value of the local currency, the dalasi especially against regional and other international currencies such as the pound and dollar.
Eddie Jawo, a shopkeeper who was at the market to buy goods to replenish his provision shop told APA that the price of a bucket of mayonnaise has shot up from D750 ($14.32) to D900 ($17.19) in the space of a few weeks.
Jawo said modest businesses like his own do not stand any chance of weathering the price-hike crisis.
He said even more established businesspersons have resorted to the hoarding of cash, refraining from spending on goods over fears of the unknown.
Thursday marked the end of three weeks of intense campaigning, during which Barrow and the five pretenders to the presidency traded barbs, inflaming tension among their supporters.
Barrow’s other challengers include his political Godfather-turned foe Ousainou Darboe, who had contested four presidential election between 1996 and 2011.
The others are Mamma Kandeh who came third in the 2016 presidential race, veteran politician Halifa Sallah, famed lawyer Essa Faal and former civil aviation authority chief Abdoulie Jammeh.
WN/as/APA