[Opinion] Gambia: Justice Minister Under Fire Over Bill Seen As Secret Pay Rise for Judges

Gambia: Justice Minister Under Fire Over Bill Seen As Secret Pay Rise for Judges

Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Hon. Dawda A. Jallow, on Monday tabled a bill to be read the second time in parliament entitled: The Judicial Officers (Conditions of Service) Bill, 2025', which he said was about safeguarding judicial independence.

Lawmakers Advance Judicial Officers Bill to Consideration Stage amid Divided Opinions – Foroyaa Newspaper

By Kebba AF Touray The National Assembly on Monday, 8 September 2025, moved the Judicial Officers (Conditions of Service) Bill, 2025 to the consideration stage, following a heated debate that revealed sharp divisions among lawmakers. The Bill, tabled for its second reading by the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dawda A Jallow, aims to strengthen the independence of the judiciary by enhancing the conditions of service for judicial offi…

Justice minister under fire over bill seen as secret pay rise for judges

But by the time he left the podium, lawmakers were accusing him of repackaging a previously rejected proposal (Judicial Remuneration Bill) and attempting to sneak through salary hikes for judges while ordinary Gambians grapple with skyrocketing prices. Tabling the Judicial Officers’ Conditions of Service Bill 2025, Minister Jallow argued it was a constitutional obligation. Citing Sections 120 and 142 of the 1997 Constitution, the minister insist…