Gambia won independence through political mobilisation - Hassoum Ceesay

Team Outpost

Hassoum Ceesay, renowned historian and Director General at the National Centre for Arts and Culture said Gambia attained its independence from Great Britain through political mobilisation of political parties led by former President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. 

He made these remarks in an interview yesterday with The Outpost Media. 

“Independence was basically a political project. Gambia won her independence through political mobilisation, and not through war or massive civil disobedience, it was largely won through political mobilisation” he remarked. 

He said the political mobilisation of political parties, played a significant role in the fight for independence.

“The United Party (UP) of Pierre Njie and the Democratic Party of Reverend J.C Faye, the Gambia Muslim Congress of I.M Garba Jahumpa and the People's Progressive Party of Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara”

Through these political parties he said, Gambians were mobilised in the fight for independence. 

He said they were "asking for constitutional development of 1947 until 1960 when we have the universal adult suffrage and also until 1962 when the constitution called for independence through political dialogue between the political parties and be British" he said. 

He added: “In 1961 there was a political dialogue between the parties and the British. That was the Lancanster House meeting of July 1961, when all the political parties were brought together and agreed on the Constitution. 

In 1964 there was a political dialogue at the Malborough House, when all the political parties and the British met and a date for Gambia's independence was finally set,” he concluded.