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News release

Gambians’ give negative assessments of local government councillors’ performance

23 Feb 2023 Gambia
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News release
Key findings
  • One in four citizens (26%) say they contacted their local government councillor at least once during the previous year for some important problem or to give them their views. Almost three-fourths (73%) say they did not (Figure 1).
  • About four in 10 Gambians (39%) say local government councillors “never” try to listen to what citizens have to say. Only 23% say they “often” or “always” listen (Figure 2).
  • Only about one-third (36%) of Gambians say they trust their local government council “somewhat” or “a lot,” while a majority (61%) express “just a little” or no trust at all in their council (Figure 3).
  • More than half (55%) of citizens say that “most” or “all” local government councillors are corrupt (Figure 4).
  • Almost six in 10 Gambians (59%) give their local government councillor a negative performance rating, up from 30% in 2018 (Figure 5).

A majority of Gambians give their local government councillors a negative performance rating, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows.

Few citizens think their local councillors try to listen to what people have to say, though only about a quarter of respondents report having contacted their councillor during the previous year.

A majority of Gambians express a lack of trust in their local government council and say most councillors are corrupt.

Gambians will elect local government councillors and mayors in April.