CDS Cham Outlines Vision for Professional, Reformed Armed Forces
By Tumany Colley
The Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Mamat O. A. Cham, has outlined an ambitious roadmap to transform the military into a professional, well-equipped and apolitical institution committed to civilian authority.
Addressing President Adama Barrow and other government officials during an annual courtesy call in Banjul, Gen. Cham spoke of the armed forces’ “attainable objectives and benchmarks” aimed at restructuring in line with public expectations and international best practices.
“This was a deliberate strategic decision…to have a vibrant, effective and professional armed forces that is transparent, subordinate and accountable to civilian authority,” he told the gathering at State House.
The military chief said his “three Cs” leadership vision of capacity building, confidence building and cooperation had already yielded progress in areas like training, logistics and troop welfare over the past year.
He said the government had provided budgetary increases to fund salary hikes and allowances for soldiers on par with other public sector workers, improving their socioeconomic status. Accommodation facilities for over 100 troops had also been completed.
On operations and preparedness, Gen. Cham reported that 300 presidential guards had been trained for VIP protection duties, while hundreds more recruits had undergone basic training in recent years.
Gambian forces have also participated in specialised training programs run by allies like the UK, Turkey and Senegal on skills like gender mainstreaming, civilian protection and peacekeeping operations.
The military chief disclosed that Quick Reaction Forces had been trained and equipped with new vehicles for potential deployment to United Nations missions.
Within Gambia’s borders, Gen. Cham said the armed forces had supported police in operations like “Restore Sanity” to tackle crimes like armed robbery, as well as providing election security.
He also highlighted interdiction efforts by the Gambia Navy, which apprehended 64 vessels for illegal fishing and other offences over the past year after receiving new patrol boats from the government and international partners.
Gen. Cham affirmed the military’s commitment to remaining “apolitical, republican and professional” while working closely with other security services to preserve peace and stability.
He thanked President Barrow for ensuring the armed forces could pursue reforms without “undue interference” and prioritise troop welfare.
At the gathering, the CDS, together with the high echelon of The GAF were decorated and promoted to various ranks by the President and Commander-in-Chief, Adama Barrow. The decorated officers include Major General Ousman Gomez – Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier General Sait Njie – Commander of the Gambia Army and CDS Mamat O. Cham, promoted from the rank of Major General to Lieutenant General.
Lt. General Cham took over as CDS in October 2023 after former CDS, Lt. General Yankuba Drammeh retired from active duty after four decades of military service.