The Gambia’s United Democratic Party (UDP) emerged from decades in opposition in the country’s parliament to take its first absolute majority on Friday, as support for former leader Yahya Jammeh’s party collapsed. Official results from Thursday’s election, announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), revealed the UDP won 31 of the 53 available elected seats … Read more
Gambia’s victorious UDP party has told the BBC that President Adama Barrow is still not a member of the party However, UDP general secretary Ousainou Darboe said the party would support the president’s platform. The UDP was one of seven parties that united to propel Mr Barrow to power in December last year, but that … Read more
The Gambia’s longtime opposition won an absolute majority in parliamentary elections, easily defeating the party of ousted leader Yahya Jammeh, results announced Friday showed. Official results announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) showed the United Democratic Party (UDP) won 31 of the 53 available elected seats in the country’s National Assembly. “(I) hereby declare … Read more
Journalists in The Gambia on Tuesday urged the country’s new leadership to uphold their pledge to respect media freedom after a violent public assault on a reporter by President Adama Barrow’s supporters. Kebba Jeffang, a journalist for Foroyaa newspaper, was hit, scratched and insulted at a press conference on Sunday held by ministers from three … Read more
The Gambian parliament on Tuesday scrapped the constitutional age limit on presidential election candidates after new President Adama Barrow faced questions over his deputy’s eligibility due to her age. Anyone over 65 has been barred from running for The Gambia’s highest office under a constitutional amendment that came into force in the west African country … Read more
A released prisoner has just been made The Gambia’s finance minister. Among other cabinet members sworn in today was a long-time opponent of Mr Jammeh’s Ousainou Darboe, who spent time in jail as a political prisoner. According to the AFP news agency, he has been made foreign minister. Mr Jammeh, who came to power in … Read more
A newly released prisoner has just been made The Gambia’s finance minister. Just 72 hours ago Amadou Sanneh was still in jail for being an opponent of former President Yahya Jammeh, who went into exile about 10 days ago, the Associated Press news agency reports. Among other the cabinet members sworn in today was a … Read more
“I have decided today in good conscience to relinquish the mantle of leadership of this great nation with infinite gratitude to all Gambians”. Those were the words of President Yahya Jammeh on January 20, 2017 following a last minute diplomatic persuasion by the international community including the Presidents of Guinea and Mauritania and the UN … Read more
New Gambian President Adama Barrow says he will establish a truth and reconciliation commission to examine allegations of misrule during former president Yahya Jammeh’s 22 years in power. “Twenty-two years is a long time,” said Barrow in an interview Sunday with VOA. “People need to know the truth.” An adviser to Barrow told reporters Monday … Read more
President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, has said that he wish former leader Yahya Jammeh, will leave the country to enable him govern smoothly. According to him, Jammeh’s stay in the Gambia under his presidency, will make governance very difficult. Speaking to Aljazeera after his inauguration, Mr. Barrow said under the circumstances, Jammeh cannot be … Read more
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has halted a joint military operation on Thursday for final mediation talks with immediate past Gambian President Yahya Jammeh who refused to step down. Jammeh has been given up to Friday noon to concede power or face military operation to take him from the country’s seat of … Read more
West African leaders promised Saturday to enforce the results of a Gambian election that was won by a little-known businessman backed by an opposition coalition but rejected by the country’s longtime coup leader. A summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ended with all leaders stating they will attend the Jan. 19 … Read more
Even by West African standards, The Gambia, with a population of just under 2 million, is a very small country. Invaginated by the much larger Republic of Senegal like a peanut-butter spread – pun intended, of course – makes the smallest officially Anglophone country in this sub-region all the more easy to forget. Which may … Read more
Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh says he will launch a legal challenge to contest an election defeat that will bring an end to his 22-year rule. President Jammeh initially conceded after rival Adama Barrow won last week’s vote, but then backtracked on Friday, saying he “totally” rejected the result. The United Nations Security Council has demanded … Read more
Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh, who once vowed to rule the tiny West African nation for “a billion years”, said he had accepted his shock election defeat on Friday, 22 years after seizing power in a coup. Voting on Thursday against Jammeh was a rare show of defiance against a leader who has ruled by decree … Read more