In an impassioned and defiant statement, Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe of Banjul has accused the Office of the President of orchestrating a systematic campaign to undermine her leadership and strip the city of its autonomy, with the latest flashpoint being a controversial claim over MacCarthy Square.
Calling it a “violation of our history” and a “betrayal of governance,” Lowe broke her silence from abroad, vowing to defend the sacred ground that she says belongs not to the government but to the people of Banjul.
“This is not just a legal overreach—it is a deliberate insult to the people of Banjul,” Lowe declared, her words dripping with frustration and resolve. “If I do not stand up for it, then who will?”
MacCarthy Square is at the heart of the mayor’s outcry, a historic public space she describes as “the heartbeat of this city.” Recalling childhood memories of walking with her father through Banjul’s streets, Lowe painted a vivid picture of the square as a living testament to the struggles and triumphs of the Gambian people. “It is where our fathers, our uncles, our grandmothers, and mothers gathered when the voices of Gambians demanded their rightful place in governance,” she said. “By what right does the Office of the President lay claim to a place that belongs to the people?”
Lowe challenged the presidency’s justification for the move, questioning whether those behind it truly understood the square’s significance. “It does not belong to any government. It belongs to Banjul. It belongs to its people. It belongs to history itself,” she asserted.
The mayor framed the MacCarthy Square dispute as the latest in a series of calculated attacks on her administration and the Banjul City Council (BCC). She listed a litany of grievances: the loss of the Banjul Project, the division of Crab Island, the near-seizure of her World Bank co-funded office, and the displacement of Half Die residents, which she said slashed the city’s revenue by 10%. “For how long must I keep letting go?” she asked, her tone shifting from resignation to defiance.
Lowe also accused the presidency of orchestrating a commission of inquiry to target BCC, dismissing her staff, and even co-opting her internal auditor to fabricate allegations against her. “Even in the darkest days of the past regime, never was there such an obsession with seizing council-managed assets,” she said, contrasting the current government’s actions with its promises of democracy and justice.
Despite what she called relentless interference, Lowe touted her achievements as mayor. From elevating Banjul’s global profile through partnerships with REFELA and Bloomberg Philanthropies to forging international city networks, she claimed to have “done more with less” while facing sabotage from those in power. “Imagine what more could have been achieved if I had been allowed to lead without interference,” she mused, urging the government to support rather than stifle her efforts.
In a deeply personal appeal, Lowe positioned herself as both a leader and a daughter of the city, unwilling to bow to pressure. “Banjul is not just my city—it is my bloodline, my history, my father’s struggle, and my life’s mission,” she said. She called out the president directly, questioning why Banjul is “treated as an orphan in this country” and excluded from international delegations—a courtesy she noted other leaders extend to their mayors.
“MacCarthy Square will not be taken. Banjul will not be silenced,” Lowe vowed, framing the fight as a defense of the people’s heritage against political overreach. In a final plea to the president, she urged him to rise above “petty, partisan politics” for the sake of true development. “This is not a war against the Mayorship of Banjul but against its people and their heritage,” she warned. “We shall overcome!”
As tensions escalate, the mayor’s fiery words signal a breaking point in her strained relationship with the central government. Banjulians—and the nation—now wait to see how this battle over MacCarthy Square and the city’s autonomy will unfold. One thing is clear: Rohey Malick Lowe is ready to fight. “I did not seek this fight,” she concluded, “but I will not run from it either.”
