Public Governance in Stalemate: Understanding Political Ambition, Civil Society Pressures, and Security Sector Apathy in the Gambia’s Transition

This paper critically examines the persistent political stalemate characterizing emerging democracies where ambitious political movements, activist civil societies, and a demotivated security establishment coexist in uneasy tension. Drawing on recent sociopolitical developments in The Gambia and comparable contexts, the study explores how excessive political ambition and fragmented civil advocacy, coupled with institutional fatigue within the security sector, have collectively contributed to governance stagnation and fragile state resilience. Through a governance and security lens, the paper argues that while political pluralism and civic engagement are essential to democratic deepening, their uncoordinated and confrontational manifestations often undermine institutional credibility, state authority, and social cohesion (Carothers, 2002; Resnick & Signé, 2025). The analysis concludes by proposing a recalibration of the political-civil-security interface, emphasizing constructive engagement, professional accountability, and strategic national dialogue as pathways toward sustainable democratic consolidation (Osborne, 2010; Linz & Stepan, 1996).

political stalemate, democratic consolidation

1. Ajaegbu, O. O., & Ajaegbu, C. (2024). The new democratisation: Social media impact on the political process in Sub Saharan Africa. Frontiers in Communication, 9, 1394949. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2024.1394949 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Ball, N. (2002). Democratic governance in the security sector. UNDP. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bratton, M. (2007). Formal versus informal institutions in Africa. Journal of Democracy, 18(3), 96–110. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Bratton, M., & van de Walle, N. (1997). Democratic experiments in Africa: Regime transitions in comparative perspective. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Bryden, A., & Hänggi, H. (Eds.). (2005). Security governance in post-conflict peacebuilding. Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Carothers, T. (2002). The end of the transition paradigm. Journal of Democracy, 13(1), 5–21. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Daffeh, A., Wahid, M. A., & Bangura, A. K. (2024). Trends in democratic governance in West Africa: A case study of The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 8(4), 1138–1147. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.804086 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Diamond, L. (1999). Developing democracy: Toward consolidation. Johns Hopkins University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Finer, S. E. (2006). The man on horseback: The role of the military in politics (2nd ed.). Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Fukuyama, F. (1995). Trust: The social virtues and the creation of prosperity. Free Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Huntington, S. P. (1957). The soldier and the state: The theory and politics of civil–military relations. Harvard University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Hutchful, E. (2003). Security sector reform in Africa: A review of recent literature. African Security Review, 12(4), 5–16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Linz, J. J., & Stepan, A. (1996). Problems of democratic transition and consolidation. Johns Hopkins University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Minko, A. E. (2023). The role of civil society in promoting good governance in Africa: Challenges and opportunities. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 6, 952–958. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.70575 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Muhammad, A., & Fanny Kinge, R. (2024). An overview of democratic consolidation and regression in Africa. Hasanuddin Journal of International Affairs, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.31947/hjirs.v4i01.32505 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Nabaneh, S. (2024). Prospects for democratic consolidation in The Gambia: A cup half full, half empty, or more? In Democratic Consolidation and Constitutional Endurance in Asia and Africa: Comparing Uneven Pathways (pp. 203–226). Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Ogunwa, S. A., & Ogunwa, F. A. (2023). Revisiting civil society and democratic governance in Africa: Present or absent in Nigeria? JPPUMA: Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan dan Sosial Politik UMA, 11(1), 36–48. https://doi.org/10.31289/jppuma.v11i1.9261 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Olasunkanmi, O. (2024). Towards democratic consolidation: Exploring the role of elections and political parties in achieving good governance in Nigeria and beyond. African Renaissance, 21(3), 193–208. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Osborne, S. P. (2010). The new public governance: Emerging perspectives on the theory and practice of public governance. Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Resnick, D., & Signé, L. (2025). Prospects for democratic resilience in Africa during uncertain times. Brookings Institution. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Schedler, A. (2013). The politics of uncertainty: Sustaining and subverting electoral authoritarianism. Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Schritt, J. (2020). Janus faced activists: The social and political embeddedness of civil society in Niger. Africa: Journal of the International African Institute. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Sedra, M. (2010). Security sector reform in Afghanistan: The slide toward expediency. International Peacekeeping, 13(1), 94–110. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar