Who runs local government in The Gambia?
The Gambia has eight local government areas: two city/municipal councils (Banjul and Kanifing) and six area councils for the rest of the country. Councillors, mayors and council chairpersons are all directly elected. Alongside them, a chain of state-appointed officials reaches down to every village: regional governors, district chiefs (seyfos) appointed by the president, and village heads (alkalos) appointed by the local government minister.
Republic of The Gambia · Unitary presidential republic · Western Africa
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative regions (5) and the 2 municipalities | Regional governor appointed by the president | Represents central government and supervises chiefs. |
| Local government areas (8): Banjul and Kanifing municipal councils; Brikama, Mansakonko, Kerewan, Kuntaur, Janjanbureh and Basse area councils | Councillors elected by ward; mayors (municipal councils) and chairpersons (area councils) directly elected, for five-year terms | Local services, markets, waste, local taxes and development planning (Local Government Act 2002). |
| Districts (43) | District chief (seyfo) appointed by the president in consultation with the minister | Customary-style administration, collecting local taxes, keeping order and settling minor disputes. |
| Villages | Alkalo appointed by the local government minister after consulting the governor and seyfo | Village head: land allocation, local disputes, linking villagers with government. |
Three questions about local power in The Gambia
Are local leaders elected?
Councillors, mayors and area council chairpersons are elected (last local elections in 2023). Governors, seyfos and alkalos are appointed.
Which laws set up local government?
Councils, seyfos and alkalos are all set out in the constitution and the Local Government Act 2002. Founding-family custom influences who becomes alkalo but is not binding.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters for councils; the president and minister can remove seyfos and alkalos under the Local Government Act; governors supervise chiefs.
Traditional and customary authority
In The Gambia, chiefs are written into the constitution but are appointed, not elected and not purely hereditary. Section 58 says the president appoints each district seyfo in consultation with the local government minister; section 59 says the minister appoints alkalos, taking account of custom. Many alkalos come from the founding families of their villages, so custom shapes who is picked. Chiefs and alkalos may not sit in the National Assembly. Religious leaders (imams and marabouts) are highly respected in this mainly Muslim country, and Cadi courts apply Islamic law in family matters.
Community and neighbourhood power
The Local Government Act sets up Ward Development Committees and Village Development Committees (VDCs), which bring together residents, the alkalo and local groups to plan small projects. Women's groups (kafo) and youth associations run gardens, savings groups and clean-ups.
Points to know
- Seyfos and alkalos are a good example of a 'traditional' title that is formal but appointed by the state.
- Removals of chiefs by the minister have been debated in the National Assembly; the law does not require a commission of inquiry first.
- Kanifing, not Banjul, is the most populous municipality; Brikama area council covers over a third of the population (2013 census).
Local terms
- Seyfo
- A district chief, appointed by the president (plural: seyfolu).
- Alkalo
- A village head, appointed by the local government minister (plural: alkalolu).
- VDC
- Village Development Committee: a local planning body for village projects.
Sources
- Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia 1996 (rev. 2018), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- The Local Government Act 2002 (The Gambia), World Health Organization (copy of national law), checked 14 October 2026
- The Gambia: country profile (subnational government structure and finance, 2022 edition), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Independent Electoral Commission – official site, Independent Electoral Commission, The Gambia, checked 14 October 2026
See also: The Gambia's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.