Yahya Jammeh
The 22-year-old authoritarian rule of The Gambia’s strongman Yahya Jammeh has come to an end.
The one-time army officer, who ascended the political throne in a coup over two decades ago, lost an election in which many thought he would find a way of manipulating to his favour, as he has always done over the years.
News about his electoral ouster came as a surprise to many observers of Africa’s politics, with many doubting it until his concession of defeat said it all.
The Electoral Commission of the former British possession announced the defeat of Yahya Jammeh and victory of Adama Barrow – an unexpected occurrence which political observers attribute to the joining of forces by the country’s political parties to fight a common enemy.
Even before Gambians went to the polls, the country’s strongman had warned that no street protests would be tolerated. That warning suggested that he was gearing himself for another term.
Yahya Jammeh has contested four elections so far, having become head of state at the age of 29 in 1994.
Adama received 263,515 votes while Jammeh garnered 212,099, Alieu Momarr Njai, the electoral commission head, announced yesterday in Banjul (previously Bathurst).
“Having received 263,515 votes of the total votes cast in the election, I hereby declare Adama Barrow duly elected to serve as president of the Republic of Gambia,” Njai said.
Adama Barrow had earlier told Reuters that he was awaiting a phone call from Yahya Jammeh to concede defeat, which eventually came through though.
Gambians use special pebbles imported from Thailand to cast their votes.
The objects are dropped into a barrel for each of the candidates. These are counted at the end of the electoral exercise; the numbers credited to each of the candidates accordingly and the announcement of the winner made forthwith.
Yahya Jammeh, noted for his eccentricity over the years, used to force his compatriots to line up and drink concoctions he claims cured HIV/AIDS.
Gays had no place in the Gambia. He warned that he would bury them six feet in the ground when he caught them.
Opposition elements in exile would find the exit of Yahya Jammeh particularly refreshing, as they can return and partake in the rebuilding of the country which had languished under the aegis of dictatorship for far too long.
Ghanaians who would be going to the polls on Wednesday have taken particular interest in the Gambian development, with some of them recalling what they say is a cordial relationship between Yahya Jammeh and President John Mahama.
With the Gambia extricating herself from dictatorship, it would seem that the days of dictatorships are numbered in Africa.
Many Ghanaians lost their lives in the Gambia some years ago, an occurrence which threatened the relationship between the two countries.
The compensation package paid to Ghana raised the political temperature as questions of propriety were posed, especially when it was alleged that members of the victims’ families were not paid a dime.
By A.R. Gomda with Agency Reports