Banjul, The Gambia – 22nd May 2025
Re: Response to Lt. Colonel (Rtd) Samsudeen Sarr’s Commentary on H.E President Barrow’s Attendance at GAF Recruit Intake 39 Graduation Ceremony
We acknowledge your recent article titled “President Barrow’s Military Makeover,” published on May 21st , 2025, which addresses the President’s appearance at the graduation ceremony of Recruit Intake 39 at McCarthy Square. While the Ministry of Defence respects your right to free expression and public commentary, we find several of your assertions both misleading and dismissive of the broader context in which H.E President Barrow’s actions should be understood.
To begin with, H.E President Adama Barrow’s presence at the event in military attire, worn solely for ceremonial and symbolic purposes wasneither an attempt at militarizing the presidency nor an encroachment upon the operational domain of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF). As the constitutionally recognized Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President holds the ceremonial and legal authority to don military dress during
state functions, particularly those celebrating military achievement and national service. It is important to clarify that such symbolic gestures are not
unprecedented, either within or beyond Africa. Democratically elected leaders in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, the United States, and even the
United Kingdom have, on occasion, worn military or service-themed attire to reflect solidarity with the armed forces, commemorate special occasions, or recognize national service. This is not a “cosplay,” as you suggest, but a legitimate expression of unity between civilian leadership and the military rank and file.
You raise concerns about the separation between military and civilian authority, a point we fundamentally agree with. However, wearing a uniform for a. ceremonial occasion does not equate to breaching that line. H.E President Barrow has never sought to exercise military command in operational matters, nor has he attempted to politicise or interfere in the professional duties of the GAF. Your comparison to authoritarian practices is therefore not only inappropriate but also disingenuous. Furthermore, to imply that CDS Lt. Gen. Mamat Cham orchestrated the President’s decision to wear military fatigues trivializes both the role of the Chief of Defence Staff and the President’s leadership. The relationship between the civilian government and the military remains constitutionally
defined, professional, and underpinned by mutual respect. The suggestion that the military is being “used” or manipulated for optics undermines the integrity
of both institutions. The Gambia has come a long way since the days of military overreach into civilian governance. It is precisely because of this progress that we must guard against hyperbole that conflates ceremonial symbolism with democratic backsliding. H.E President Barrow’s participation in the graduation ceremony was intended to honour the commitment and courage of our young recruits and to foster a stronger sense of national pride, unity, and respect for the institutions of defence.
We understand the power of perception and the importance of maintaining the military’s apolitical image. However, let us not distort a moment of national celebration into a cynical metaphor for dictatorship. The true danger to our democracy lies not in symbolic gestures, but in the erosion of trust through alarmist narratives that discredit genuine efforts to build cohesion and national spirit.
The Ministry of Defence and GAF remains steadfast in its duty to protect the sovereignty of our Republic, uphold the constitutional role of the military, and promote responsible civil-military relations.
