Within Gambia
Can Fact Checkers Keep Up With Election Rumours?
Post-Jammeh elections turned viral political rumours into a new test of how quickly false claims could spread and be publicly checked.
On this page
- How campaign misinformation spreads online
- The difference between rumours and organised propaganda
- How Gambian fact checkers investigate viral claims
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Introduction
The fall of Yahya Jammeh in 2017 transformed The Gambia’s media environment. Greater political openness brought a surge of new online news outlets, activist pages, campaign groups and citizen commentators. It also created a new challenge: election rumours could now travel across Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok and other platforms far faster than traditional journalists could verify them. During recent election cycles, especially the 2021 presidential election and subsequent local and parliamentary contests, misinformation became one of the most visible tests of the country’s democratic transition. Fact-checkers, journalists and civil society groups increasingly found themselves racing against viral claims, altered images and misleading political narratives.[FactSpace West Africa]factspace.orgFactSpace West AfricaThe Gambia's Political Transition: Fact-checking the first…28 Mar 2022 — On December 4, 2021, Gambians lined up t…
Unlike older Gambian cases involving state-backed pseudoscience or official propaganda, election misinformation often emerges from a mixture of sources: partisan activists, anonymous social media accounts, enthusiastic supporters, recycled foreign content and ordinary users who share unverified information. This makes the problem less about a single hoax and more about a rapidly evolving information ecosystem.[FactSpace West Africa]factspace.orgFactSpace West AfricaThe Gambia's Political Transition: Fact-checking the first…28 Mar 2022 — On December 4, 2021, Gambians lined up t…
Can Fact-Checkers Keep Up With Election Rumours?
Election rumours in The Gambia rarely succeed because they are sophisticated. More often, they spread because they appear at moments of uncertainty. A claim about a candidate, a supposed election result, a leaked document or an alleged government decision can circulate widely before official information becomes available.
The country’s relatively small population can actually accelerate this process. Information frequently moves through overlapping family, community and political networks, especially on WhatsApp and Facebook. A claim shared by a trusted friend or community figure may gain credibility long before anyone asks whether it is true. Fact-checkers have repeatedly noted that emotionally charged political content tends to travel further than routine corrections.[factcheckgambia.org]factcheckgambia.orgSeven Ways to Spot Fake News in Gambia PresidentialNovember 27, 2021 — 27 Nov 2021 — Here are seven ways of identifying misinformation/disinformation/fake news if any appears on your timel…
Observers of the 2021 presidential election reported widespread concerns about misinformation and disinformation throughout the campaign period. Election-monitoring organisations identified false and misleading content as a significant challenge, particularly online, where rumours could spread across multiple platforms within hours.[allafrica.com]allafrica.comGambia: Election Analysis Center Says Disinformation…14 Dec 2021 — Election Analysis Center (EAC-) has issued a preliminary statement…
The result is not usually a single famous hoax with a dramatic reveal. Instead, Gambian election misinformation often appears as dozens of smaller claims competing for attention: manipulated photographs, misleading statistics, fabricated quotations, false allegations about opponents or inaccurate reports about voting procedures. Individually they may seem minor; collectively they can distort public discussion.
How Campaign Misinformation Spreads Online
The mechanics of election rumours in The Gambia resemble patterns seen elsewhere in Africa, but local conditions shape how they travel.
Several recurring mechanisms appear repeatedly:
- Mislabelled images and videos: photographs from another country or another year are presented as current Gambian political events.
- Fabricated quotations: public figures are falsely portrayed as having endorsed a candidate or made controversial remarks.
- Manipulated statistics: economic or electoral figures are circulated without context or with altered numbers.
- False procedural claims: rumours about voter registration, polling stations or vote counting exploit public uncertainty.
- Recycled content: old stories return during new election campaigns and are presented as fresh developments.[factcheckgambia.org]factcheckgambia.orgGambia Fact is The Gambia's only indigenous and first independent digital fact-checking platform. Gambia Fact seeks to close the palpable…
Social media platforms reward speed rather than verification. By the time journalists contact sources, inspect documents or compare photographs, thousands of people may already have seen and shared the original claim. This timing problem is one reason misinformation researchers frequently describe elections as especially vulnerable periods. Fact-checking organisations in The Gambia have repeatedly warned users to verify information before sharing it, particularly during campaign seasons.[factcheckgambia.org]factcheckgambia.orgSeven Ways to Spot Fake News in Gambia PresidentialNovember 27, 2021 — 27 Nov 2021 — Here are seven ways of identifying misinformation/disinformation/fake news if any appears on your timel…
A further complication is that many political rumours contain a grain of truth. A genuine photograph may be attached to a false explanation. A real government document may be presented with misleading conclusions. Such claims are harder to debunk than completely invented stories because they exploit existing public knowledge.
Rumours Versus Organised Propaganda
Not every false election claim is part of a coordinated disinformation campaign. Distinguishing between rumours and organised propaganda is one of the central challenges facing Gambian fact-checkers.
A rumour often begins through uncertainty, misunderstanding or careless sharing. Someone may misread a statement, repeat second-hand information or circulate a claim without checking it. The original source may not even intend to deceive.
Organised propaganda is different. It involves deliberate efforts to shape political perceptions through coordinated messaging, selective information or knowingly false claims. During elections, such campaigns may attempt to discredit opponents, suppress participation or influence how voters interpret events.[The Alkamba Times]alkambatimes.comThe Alkamba TimesOP-ED: Fake News and Elections: The Impact of…January 14, 2026 — 14 Jan 2026 — The proliferation of disinformation du…
In practice, the boundary can blur. A strategically created falsehood may eventually spread through ordinary users who sincerely believe it. By the time investigators trace the claim’s origins, thousands of people may have shared it for reasons unrelated to the original deception.
This ambiguity helps explain why modern election misinformation differs from classic hoaxes. The most important question is often not who invented the story but how it acquired credibility as it moved through networks of supporters, media outlets and social platforms.
How Gambian Fact-Checkers Investigate Viral Claims
The growth of misinformation has produced a parallel growth in verification initiatives. Organisations such as FactCheck Gambia and FactSpace Gambia emerged to examine viral claims, verify political statements and improve media literacy. Ahead of the 2021 presidential election, Gambian fact-checking organisations also joined broader collaborative efforts aimed at identifying and correcting election-related falsehoods.[factcheckgambia.org]factcheckgambia.orgFact Check Gambia FACT-CHECK: 'No Movement Won an Election on the African Continent' – Dr. … Gambia Fact is The Gambia's only indigenouFact Check Gambia FACT-CHECK: 'No Movement Won an Election on the African Continent' – Dr. … Gambia Fact is The Gambia's only indigenou
Their investigations typically follow several steps:
- Identify the original claim and determine exactly what is being asserted.
- Locate primary evidence, such as official records, speeches, election documents or original photographs.
- Consult experts or institutions able to confirm or reject the claim.
- Examine digital evidence, including image metadata, reverse-image searches and previous appearances of content online.
- Publish a transparent verdict explaining both the conclusion and the evidence behind it. factcheckgambia.org
Many fact-checks focus less on exposing elaborate conspiracies than on correcting ordinary misunderstandings. Yet these corrections perform an important democratic function: they create a public record that can be cited when false claims reappear.
Election observers recognised the value of these efforts during the 2021 presidential election. International monitoring missions highlighted the role played by national fact-checking initiatives and civil society organisations in responding to misinformation and supporting informed public debate. European Parliament
Building an Infrastructure for Verification
As misinformation became a recurring concern, responses expanded beyond individual fact-check articles. Training programmes for journalists, media-literacy campaigns and regional initiatives supported by ECOWAS and other organisations sought to strengthen information integrity during election periods. Facebook
More recently, authorities and partner organisations launched specialised structures intended to coordinate responses to misinformation and disinformation. Supporters argue that such institutions can improve public access to verified information and respond more quickly to viral falsehoods. Critics, however, stress the importance of maintaining independence and ensuring that anti-disinformation measures do not become tools for political control. Facebook
This debate reflects a broader democratic tension. Citizens want protection from manipulation, but they also want safeguards against censorship. The challenge is finding mechanisms that promote trustworthy information while preserving open political debate.
Why Election Rumours Still Matter
Election rumours remain significant in The Gambia not because any single false story has reshaped the country’s history, but because the cumulative effect can influence trust. Repeated exposure to misleading claims can make voters uncertain about institutions, candidates, media organisations and even verified information.
The post-Jammeh era has therefore produced a different kind of deception story from the country’s earlier experiences with pseudoscientific cures or witch-hunting accusations. The central question is no longer whether a powerful figure can impose a false narrative from above. Instead, it is whether democratic societies can identify, challenge and correct thousands of smaller falsehoods moving through decentralised digital networks.
The emergence of dedicated Gambian fact-checkers, election-monitoring initiatives and media-literacy campaigns suggests that the country has developed new tools for confronting these challenges. Yet the contest remains uneven. Rumours can be created in seconds, while verification takes time. The continuing struggle between those two speeds is one of the defining information battles of modern Gambian elections. United Nations+2FactSpace West Africa
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Endnotes
1.
Source: factspace.org
Link:https://factspace.org/the-gambias-political-transition-fact-checking-the-first-post-yahya-jammeh-presidential-elections/
Source snippet
FactSpace West AfricaThe Gambia's Political Transition: Fact-checking the first...28 Mar 2022 — On December 4, 2021, Gambians lined up t...
Published: December 4, 2021
2.
Source: allafrica.com
Link:https://allafrica.com/stories/202112150115.html
Source snippet
Gambia: Election Analysis Center Says Disinformation...14 Dec 2021 — Election Analysis Center (EAC-) has issued a preliminary statement...
3.
Source: factcheckgambia.org
Title: Seven Ways to Spot Fake News in Gambia Presidential
Link:https://factcheckgambia.org/2021/11/27/explainer-seven-ways-to-spot-fake-news-in-gambia-presidential-election-2021/
Source snippet
November 27, 2021 — 27 Nov 2021 — Here are seven ways of identifying misinformation/disinformation/fake news if any appears on your timel...
Published: November 27, 2021
4.
Source: facebook.com
Title: the minister of information media and broadcasting services dr ismaila ceesay un
Link:https://www.facebook.com/PTVGambia/posts/the-minister-of-information-media-and-broadcasting-services-dr-ismaila-ceesay-un/1263238049294941/
Source snippet
Paradise TV GambiaThroughout the 2021 elections, disinformation and hate speech permeated every stage of the electoral process be...
5.
Source: factcheckgambia.org
Link:https://factcheckgambia.org/category/politics/election2021/
Source snippet
Gambia Fact is The Gambia's only indigenous and first independent digital fact-checking platform. Gambia Fact seeks to close the palpable...
7.
Source: factspace.org
Link:https://factspace.org/gambia-fact-checking-network-launched-to-tackle-information-disorder-ahead-of-2021-elections/
8.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/Ecowas.Cedeao/posts/ecowas-trains-journalists-in-the-gambia-on-promoting-information-integrity-and-c/1126463296325962/
9.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/Ecowas.Cedeao/posts/the-gambia-and-ecowas-launch-west-africas-first-strategic-national-response-cent/1274583628180594/
10.
Source: facebook.com
Title: the gambia launches national misinformation and disinformation centre
Link:https://www.facebook.com/PresidencyGambia/posts/the-gambia-launches-national-misinformation-and-disinformation-centre/1296301775945239/
11.
Source: factspace.org
Link:https://factspace.org/fact-check/factspace-gambia/
12.
Source: un.org
Link:https://www.un.org/peacebuilding/content/fighting-falsehoods-gambia-new-era-verified-journalism
Source snippet
ited NationsFighting Falsehoods in The Gambia: A New Era of Verified...The Commonwealth Observer Group praised FactCheck Gambia's role...
13.
Source: alkambatimes.com
Link:https://alkambatimes.com/op-ed-fake-news-and-elections-the-impact-of-disinformation-on-electoral-integrity-in-the-gambias-2021-presidential-election/
Source snippet
The Alkamba TimesOP-ED: Fake News and Elections: The Impact of...January 14, 2026 — 14 Jan 2026 — The proliferation of disinformation du...
Published: January 14, 2026
14.
Source: europarl.europa.eu
Title: Gambia 2021 EOM final report
Link:https://www.europarl.europa.eu/cmsdata/245269/Gambia_2021_EOM-final_report.pdf
Additional References
15.
Source: cadmus.eui.eu
Link:https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstreams/a39f2a7b-e9dd-4106-9c03-f7729bf4fcd9/download
Source snippet
Omar Camara - EUI Cadmusby O CAMARA · 2025 — In The Gambia, checking the facts of things is important during the elections and gove...
16.
Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srcG44oCxac
Source snippet
Gambia election misinformation fact checking Tackling fake news in the Gambia FactSpace West Africa...
17.
Source: youtube.com
Title: New Gambia Media Talk Show: Elections & Disinformation
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iih50zYB1eA
Source snippet
2026 PRESIDENCIAL ELECTION URR FACT CHECK OUT...
18.
Source: askanwi.com
Link:https://www.askanwi.com/factchecks
19.
Source: africacheck.org
Link:https://africacheck.org/third-party-fact-checks
20.
Source: instagram.com
Link:https://www.instagram.com/p/DXrgoR-CEbN/
21.
Source: youtube.com
Title: TACKLING MISINFORMATION AHEAD OF ELECTIONS
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m6JGmq0tvA
Source snippet
New Gambia Media Talk Show: Elections & Disinformation...
22.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Tackling election misinformation in the Gambia
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XYikZqBync
Source snippet
TACKLING MISINFORMATION AHEAD OF ELECTIONS...
23.
Source: gpu.gm
Link:https://gpu.gm/reflection-on-world-press-freedom-day-focus-on-the-disinformation-response-centre/
24.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Tackling fake news in the Gambia
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYrysICKfbE
Source snippet
Tackling election misinformation in the Gambia...
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