President Barrow Appoints Acting Chief of Defence Staff After CDS Resigns Over Misconduct Allegations

President Adama Barrow appointed Major General Ousman Gomez as Acting Chief of Defence Staff of The Gambia Armed Forces, effective immediately, following the resignation of Lieutenant General Mamat O. A. Cham.

The announcement was made in a press release issued Friday, 29 May 2026, by Government Spokesperson Ebrima G. A. Cham submitted a resignation letter dated the same day. In his resignation letter, Lt.

Gen. Mamat O. A. Cham cited "numerous allegations of misconduct and abuse of office inconsistent with the Office of Chief of Defence Staff" as the reason for stepping down. He thanked President Barrow for the confidence shown in him during his tenure as the country's ninth CDS and pledged his availability for any investigations into the allegations.

President Barrow accepted the resignation and, under Section 190 of the Constitution, named Major General Ousman Gomez to the post. Until his appointment, Major General Ousman Gomez served as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff at Army Headquarters in Banjul.