AN UPHILL TASK

The Gambia: Adama Barrow

Adama Barrow astonished the world by unseating long-time autocrat Yahya Jammeh, but now faces an unenviable task of rebuilding a country left in ruin

An uphill task

Barrow is faced with a task of righting the country’s brutal political past under his predecessor. It is a process he started slowly, and after three months in office his public ratings were low, especially on social media (Photo Credit: MSJoof/TNBES/Feb 2017)

Bwiam: Political Crisis Left Neighbours Deeply Divided

On January 21, former President Yahya Jammeh left The Gambia a divided nation after more than a month of political anxiety (Photo Credit: LJahateh/FPI/Jan2017)

Gambia: Opposition want strategy to end impunity

A Living Mirror, a book on the life of Deyda Hydara by Demba Ali Jawo and Aloe Ahmed Alota (Photo: The Point)

LOADED DICE

Gambia's Group of Six

These half-dozen opposition parties refuse to participate in another sham election.

Gambia opposition party leaders: L-R: Omar Jallow, Peoples Progressive Party; Henry Gomez, Gambia Party for Democracy and Development; Hamat Bah, National Reconciliation Party; Halifa Sllah, Peoples Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism, Ousainou Darboe, United Democratic Party; and Mai Ahmed Fatty, Gambia Moral Congress (Photo Credit: The Daily News)

Respond to UN allegations, additional budget is 'horrible’ - Opposition leader tells Gambia gov

NRP leader Hamat Bah speaking to journalists on election nomination day in 2011 (Photo Credit: SoutAfrica.com)

NRP to hold national convention in May

NRP leader Hamat Bah speaking to journalists on election nomination day in 2011 (Photo Credit: SoutAfrica) - Now, Bah said he believes 2013 was a disappointing year for the opposition in the country, not because they are oppressed, but because “there is no unity”.

The Gambia: The Year 2013 Ends With Crackdown on Opposition

Convictions and sentencing of top government officials, and a divided opposition ‘united for change’

The West African country also made high profile decisions by exiting the Commonwealth of Nations over "neo-colonialism" and cut off diplomatic ties with Taiwan for “strategic national interest.”

IEC announces ‘final elections’ in The Gambia

IEC Chairperson Mustapha L. Carayol presided over a widely criticised presidential election in 2011 (Photo Credit: SEYLLOU/AFP/Getty Images)

Jammeh’s APRC supporters outraged by rumours of torture and murder: Halifa Sallah

Halifa Sallah, PDOIS Secretary General has written several letters to President Jammeh on critical national issues

GMC supports calls for Jammeh’s resignation

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A Gambian opposition party has called on President Yahya Jammeh to resign and allow a transitional authority to organise free and fair elections to restore what it called “the sanctity of derivative authority.”

The Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) said in an August 5 statement: “The mood of the nation and the ‘tumultuous silence’ of the majority are consistent with such a call.” “The unprecedented traffic on electronic social media by hundreds of thousands of Gambian youth reflects the general conviction of Gambian youth offline, also consistent with this call,” it added.

GMC says not party to G6 stance on inmates’ killings

Mai Fatty, GMC leader/Photo: Facebook

“GMC dissociates itself from G6 letter to the authorities,” the headline said.

 

In a brief statement this week, the Gambia Moral Congress, an opposition party led by lawyer Mai Ahmad Fatty said it does not subscribe to the contents of a letter written to the National Assembly by the Group of Six (G6) opposition parties in connection with the recent killing of nine death row inmates by the Gambia Government.

The party’s leader said there is no sense in writing to the authorities on the executions.

GMC to rally against ‘killings’

GMC leader Mai Fatty

The opposition party, the Gambia Moral Congress has announced plans to hold political rallies across the Gambia to denounce what it called the “killings of death row inmates.”  

The statement followed widespread speculations that some nine death row prisoners were killed by the government on the night of Thursday August 23. 

“Despite diplomatic intervention from the EU, AU and ECOWAS, and outcry from the opposition and Gambians and friends around the world, President Jammeh reportedly executed nine death-row inmates and the remaining 34 prisoners are scheduled to be killed soon,” says a GMC statement.

9 death row inmates ‘killed’ in Gambia: Reports

President Jammeh pledged to have all death row inmates executed by mid-September. Photo | BBC |

Widespread media reports said nine death row inmates were “executed” in Gambia on Thursday night.

The reports came four days after Gambia President Yahya Jammeh announced in an Eid (Muslim feast) statement “his government will execute all death sentences in the country by September.”

Lamin Kaba Bajo returns to foreign mission

Lamin Kaba Bajo

Yahya Jammeh’s former minister of fisheries, water resources and national assembly matters, Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo is now Gambia’s ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco.

A position previously held by Mr. Ousman Badjie.

Bajo’s redeployment to the Foreign Service on Monday 13^th February, 2012, followed Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh’s appointment of a new cabinet. 

The 48 year old Gambian politician and diplomat, was born November 10, 1964, in Brikama.

African viewpoint: Jammeh, Aids and infertility

(BBC) In our series of viewpoints from African journalists, former BBC Focus on Africa deputy editor and Ghanaian government minister Elizabeth Ohene recalls meeting The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh, who was re-elected last week, after he seized power in a coup in 1994.

 

Gambia's Yahya Jammeh ready for 'billion-year' rule

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh speaks to reporters as he leaves
a polling station in Banjul November 24 (AFP)

(BBC) - The Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh has told the BBC that he will rule for "one billion years", if God wills. 

He said critics who accused him of winning last month's elections through intimidation and fraud could "go to hell".

The West African regional body Ecowas said the electorate had been "cowed by repression".

Special Coverage: 2011 Presidential Election...

What next for Gambian President Jammeh?

Yahya Jammeh has been reelected as president of the West African nation - now, will he try to become king?   Asked whether he would consider becoming king, Jammeh said: ‘I can’t decide what the Gambians want’ (EPA)

Special Coverage: 2011 Presidential Election...

‘UDP rejects fraudulent’ presidential election results

UDP's Ousainou Darboe: 'we'll take appropriate action'

The Presidential Candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Mr Lawyer Ousainou ANM Darboe has described the results of Thursday’s election in Gambia as “bogus” and says his party vehemently rejects it, while addressing his supporters at his residence along Kairaba Avenue, shortly after the incumbent was declared winner.

The Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, Alhagie Mustapha L. Carayol declared Yahya AJJ Jammeh winner of the November 24 presidential elections.

Yahya AJJ Jammeh won 470, 550 votes (72%) of the total vote cast. While Ousainou ANM Darboe and Hamat NK Bah, the Independent Candidate backed by four parties known as the “United Front” bagged 114, 177 (17%) and 73, 060 (11%) of the popular votes.

Mr Darboe, did not want to speak to the press after the final result was announced, instead, his party issued a preliminary statement saying: “The UDP/GMC United Alliance vehemently and unconditionally rejects the results of the just concluded Presidential Elections as announced by the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission.” 

Special Coverage: 2011 Presidential Election...

Gambia: It’s Yahya Jammeh Again

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh speaks to reporters as he leaves a polling station in Banjul November 24. (AFP)

Special Coverage: 2011 Presidential Election...

Gambia: Views of parties’ on polling day

Voters dropped marbles into containers marked with the contestant's names [AFP]

Parties to Gambia’s 2011 presidential election gave their final views and comments on November 24, 2011 shortly after casting their votes, while the outcome of the results remain uncertain even when the incumbent was largely regarded favourite.