Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe made a surprise appearance at a youth-led protest in Westfield on Saturday, just hours before the anticipated release of 27 demonstrators arrested earlier in the week for demanding transparency in the sale of former President Yahya Jammeh’s assets.

The protest, organized by the Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA), drew dozens of young people who chanted slogans and carried placards condemning what they described as arbitrary arrests and a disturbing lack of government accountability.

The detainees, arrested on Wednesday, were reportedly held without clear charges—fueling public outrage and rekindling fears of a return to repressive tactics in the post-Jammeh era.

Mayor Lowe, the first woman elected to lead the Banjul City Council (BCC), arrived at the scene unannounced and immediately joined the demonstrators in their chants. She clarified that her presence was not in any official capacity but rather a personal decision motivated by concern for the youth and the state of the country.

“I’m not here to represent any political party, nor am I here as Mayor of Banjul,” she told the crowd. “I am here because I am a mother, and I know 95 percent of the youths here. The country is in a mess, and I cannot sit around. I believe there will be a solution, and the youths will listen to me.”

Her appearance was met with cheers from the demonstrators, many of whom welcomed her as a symbol of solidarity. “Thank you. This is the problem of Gambia—anything they see, they want to politicize it,” said one protester. “We appreciate you, Lord Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, for making the message clear. You are a mother.”

Still, reactions to her presence were mixed. Some observers speculated that Lowe’s participation was a calculated move to rehabilitate her public image amid growing scrutiny by the Local Government Commission of Inquiry.

The commission is currently investigating the BCC over allegations of financial mismanagement and irregularities in projects such as the Ostend-Banjul twinning arrangement with a Belgian municipality, which has raised concerns about transparency and procedural compliance.

Critics say Lowe’s protest appearance may be an attempt to reassert her credibility among citizens, while others see it as a bold demonstration of leadership at a politically sensitive moment.

“The symbolism of Mayor Lowe’s presence here today is of great value for the youths” said a young protester. “It sends a message to the government that leadership can and will stand with the people.”

The protest remained peaceful and was closely monitored by police, who later acknowledged the demonstration’s calm nature in a statement.

As public frustration grows over the government’s silence on the Jammeh asset sales and increasing concerns about civil liberties, Saturday’s protest—boosted by the mayor’s involvement—marks a pivotal moment in the evolving relationship between state power and citizen activism in The Gambia.