Back in March 2022, Momodou Sabally’s application to contest as the Busumbala parliamentarian for the UDP was disqualified by an IEC returning officer based on his Janneh Commission ban.

This lost report captures the victim center and the National Human Rights Commission's condemnation of police brutality that followed and UDP leader Darboe’s condemnation of the IEC’s decision.

Sabally vowed to defiantly oppose the Barrow government but eventually succumbed to joining the NPP after the government rescinded his Janneh Commission ban from public office.

More in this report.

In September 2017, months after President Adama Barrow took office, an Israeli company, International Medical Services (IMS), presented plans to build a $220 million state-of-the-art hospital aimed at turning The Gambia into a medical tourism hub.

Our investigation examined the background of the IMS delegation and the risks associated with medical tourism. While the industry has potential benefits, global health bodies including the WHO and the Royal Society of Medicine warn it can fuel organ trafficking, citing the Philippines as a cautionary example.

This revived report from Gainako’s lost publications revisits those concerns and their relevance today.

Millions of dalasis allocated to compensate victims of President Jammeh’s abuses have yet to reach them, even as some die from treatable health conditions. At the same time, the fate of money generated from the sale of Mr Jammeh’s assets remains shrouded in mystery, including the multi-million dollar U.S. mansion. More in this investigation.

Corruption, political interference and sheer incompetence have crippled a $7 million African Development Bank–funded agriculture project intended to boost food security in The Gambia, leaving once-productive rice fields in Limbambulu devastated and farmers worse off than before. More in the feature report.

This FactSheet highlights some of the most serious concerns raised by Auditors, flagging how the government made D410 million in overpayments within three years to an unnamed road contractor, the Presidential Banquet Hall, loan creditor Meridian, the incomplete stadium refurbishment and more.

Read more in this feature publication.

This week marks the start of President Adama Barrow’s eighth Meet the People’s Tour, mandated by the 1997 Constitution. Our budget analysis reveals that, over the years, President Barrow has spent more than D246 million on the tour, despite Parliament only approving D72 million for the same period. This means President Barrow overspent by D173 million — an increase of approximately 340%. More in the budget analysis report.

After some 600 students’ results were withheld due to suspicion of being involved in exam malpractice, an Askanwi journalist had gained access to a WhatsApp group where suspected exam results were being shared. To ascertain who’s leaking the results, our reporter interviewed school officials and revealed that only 28 students were suspected of the same infringement last year, hinting at a rising problem. More in this feature report.

Government arrears totalling over D248 million to NAWEC are undermining the capability of the only national water and electricity company from functioning properly. The list of institutions in arears includes MDAs, SOEs, and Local Councils. More in this report.

The Gambia Telecommunications Company (GAMTEL) is grappling with a severe financial crisis, burdened by nearly D197 million in unpaid debts. More in this report.

This publication interrogates the question of whether Parliament and the Executive have violated the law with regards to budget implementation by making reference to legal provisions and highlighting instances when this legal requirement has been ignored. This leaves the door open for waste, fraud, and abuse to continue unabated in The Gambia.