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The Gambia’s President Jammeh to concede defeat in election The Gambia’s President Jammeh to concede defeat in election
(about 2 hours later)
The Gambia’s autocratic president, Yahya Jammeh, who once claimed a “billion-year” mandate to rule, has agreed to concede defeat after a shock election loss to a real-estate developer. The Gambia’s autocratic president, Yahya Jammeh, who once claimed a “billion-year” mandate to rule, has agreed to concede defeat after a shock election loss to a real-estate developer who once worked as a security guard in London.
The winner, Adama Barrow, won with 45.5% of the vote to Jammeh’s 36.7%, while the third candidate, Mama Kandeh got 17.8%. The eccentric 51 year-old had kept the tiny west African nation under an iron grip for over two decades, and there were fears before the poll that he would use violence or fraud to maintain his hold on the nation.
Jammeh has ruled the tiny west African nation for more than two decades and is one of the rare African dictators to accept defeat in a democratic election. If he goes ahead with a peaceful handover of power, Barrow will become its third head of state since independence in 1962. Instead he became a rare dictator to accept defeat in a democratic election, agreeing to hand power to challenger Adama Barrow. A softly-spoken businessman who had little public profile before the election, the father-of-five used his lack of political baggage to woo voters desperate for change.
The head of the Gambia’s electoral commission, Alieu Momarr Njai, said Jammeh would concede on Friday. A video of his speech has already been recorded and is being edited, sources told the Guardian. He claimed 45.5% of the vote to Jammeh’s 36.7%, and if Jammeh sticks to his word Barrow will become only the third Gambian head of state since independence in 1965.
It was “very unique” that Jammeh would accept defeat after controlling the Gambia for so long, Njai said. Even the head of the electoral commission, Alieu Momarr Njai, seemed stunned by Jammeh’s rapid concession.
“The president is magnanimous enough to accept that he had lost the election, and he will call the new president to congratulate him as well as to pray for peace and tranquility.” “The president is magnanimous enough to accept that he had lost the election, and he will call the new president to congratulate him as well as to pray for peace and tranquility,” he said after announcing preliminary results. “It’s very rare that this present situation now, in Africa, that this happens.” .
As soon as the president of the electoral commission said that Jammeh had lost, the internet, which had been shut down for 36 hours for “security” reasons, was restored and Gambians began to come to terms with their new reality. The internet and international phone services, cut off for “security” during the poll, were restored soon after Njai’s announcement, and as news of the election result spread the country erupted into celebration.
The streets of the capital, deserted until that point, began to fill with cars screeching their horns in celebration. Children sang, men stripped off their shirts and punched the air. The streets of the capital, deserted until that point, began to fill with cars screeching their horns and blasting out music.
Children sang, men stripped off their shirts and punched the air, and others went online to celebrate using the hashtag GambiaDecides. Several said the historic change had moved them to tears.
“I couldn’t hold back the tears. I’m almost 30, and I’ve known only one President this whole time. Good time to be alive,” said Muhammad Sanu Jallow.
I couldn't hold back the tears. I'm almost 30, and I've known only 1 President this whole time. Good time to be alive. #GambiaDecides
The vast Gambian diaspora joined in the celebration from abroad, with several saying they were planning their return, or expected friends and relatives to head back.
Thanks to Allah!!!!🙏🏽Now our very own can return back home and play their part in developing our motherland 🇬🇲🇬🇲🇬🇲✌🏾️✌🏾️✌🏾️😪#GambiaDecides #
The country’s poverty and repressive political climate means Gambians have made up a large proportion of migrants to Europe, even though it is one of the continent’s smallest states, with only 2 million people.
Casting his vote the day before, Jammeh had said he was confident of winning “a bigger landslide” than the Gambia had ever seen, and refused to say whether he would concede if he lost.Casting his vote the day before, Jammeh had said he was confident of winning “a bigger landslide” than the Gambia had ever seen, and refused to say whether he would concede if he lost.
This year’s election was the first time since 1994, when Jammeh seized control of the country in a coup, that he faced a serious challenge to his rule. Over that period he consolidated power in a series of presidential elections, and skilfully exploited tribal and other divisions among multiple opposition parties.This year’s election was the first time since 1994, when Jammeh seized control of the country in a coup, that he faced a serious challenge to his rule. Over that period he consolidated power in a series of presidential elections, and skilfully exploited tribal and other divisions among multiple opposition parties.
Opposition politicians, journalists and activists have been arbitrarily arrested, thrown into jail, tortured and killed in the Gambia over Jammeh’s tenure.Opposition politicians, journalists and activists have been arbitrarily arrested, thrown into jail, tortured and killed in the Gambia over Jammeh’s tenure.
Njie had been about to announce the latest batch of results when he got a call on his mobile. Njie had been about to announce the latest batch of results when he got a call on his mobile. He then told waiting observers and press that the president knew the result and was about to concede.
He then told waiting observers and press that the president knew the result and was about to concede.
The minister of the interior, sitting in a magnolia office cubicle and trembling behind his aviator sunglasses, called on “all to remain calm.”The minister of the interior, sitting in a magnolia office cubicle and trembling behind his aviator sunglasses, called on “all to remain calm.”
“Keep the peace and tranquility,” Modou Bah said. “People should go for their lawful businesses. We should not allow politics to divide us.”“Keep the peace and tranquility,” Modou Bah said. “People should go for their lawful businesses. We should not allow politics to divide us.”
Meanwhile, those hosting the live broadcast of election results on state television could not hide their astonishment.Meanwhile, those hosting the live broadcast of election results on state television could not hide their astonishment.
“Have all the people loyal to the president migrated?” asked Malick Jones, presenting an all-night broadcast of Gambia Decides, when he realised that Jammeh had lost the capital.“Have all the people loyal to the president migrated?” asked Malick Jones, presenting an all-night broadcast of Gambia Decides, when he realised that Jammeh had lost the capital.
More than 10,000 Gambians have arrived in Italy so far this year, most leaving on the dangerous “back way” across the Sahara. The numbers have almost doubled since last year, and this is to say nothing of those who die en route.
Outside Barrow’s house, crowds gathered, some celebrating and some in shock. Anger at Jammeh for his decades of repression bubbled up in others.Outside Barrow’s house, crowds gathered, some celebrating and some in shock. Anger at Jammeh for his decades of repression bubbled up in others.
“We’ll put him in jail. We want him to go to the ICC,” said Adama Faye, an 18-year-old student. “He killed my father – I promise you, he did. Since I was born, I haven’t felt this kind of happiness.”“We’ll put him in jail. We want him to go to the ICC,” said Adama Faye, an 18-year-old student. “He killed my father – I promise you, he did. Since I was born, I haven’t felt this kind of happiness.”
Jubilant crowds sang, whistled, cheered and stormed Barrow’s compound in celebration trying to get in and shake his hand. A man with a basket-hat and a posse of bouncers tried to keep them out. Jubilant crowds sang, whistled, cheered and stormed Barrow’s compound in celebration trying to get in and shake his hand, as a man with a basket-hat and a posse of bouncers tried to keep them out.
Inside, the first lady-elect Fatou Bah, the first of Barrow’s two wives, arrived in a blue dress and enormous gold earrings and was blessed by a close family friend, a Catholic priest. Inside, the first lady-elect Fatou Bah, the first of Barrow’s two wives, arrived in a blue dress and enormous gold earrings and was blessed by a close family friend, Catholic priest Bruno Toupan.
“I’m glad,” she said simply before disappearing into a back room. Barrow is a devout Muslim, and Toupan said his decision to call a Catholic to bless the family was proof that he would be a president for all Gambians.
Bruno Toupan, the priest, said that the fact that Barrow, a devout Muslim, would call a Catholic to come and bless the family, told you something about the man.
“We have great hope in the Gambia,” he said. “It’s a great relief, as Jammeh was planning to bring in Sharia law. I would have been a second class citizen.“We have great hope in the Gambia,” he said. “It’s a great relief, as Jammeh was planning to bring in Sharia law. I would have been a second class citizen.
Cheering crowds also gathered outside the home of Ousainou Darbo, the opposition leader who was sentenced to three years in prison in April, giving rise to Barrow’s candidacy. His court hearing will be on Monday and the crowds were calling for his release. Cheering crowds also gathered outside the home of Ousainou Darbo, the opposition leader who was sentenced to three years in prison in April, giving rise to Barrow’s candidacy. His court hearing will be on Monday and the crowds were calling for his release. Amnesty International added its voice to these calls.
Amnesty International added its voice to these calls.
“An immediate first step for this new government is to release political prisoners and those who have disappeared,” Amnesty International’s Sabrina Mahtani said. We’ve seen how important the rights of freedom of information and freedom of assembly are over the last few weeks – it’s important that the new govt reforms repressive laws.”“An immediate first step for this new government is to release political prisoners and those who have disappeared,” Amnesty International’s Sabrina Mahtani said. We’ve seen how important the rights of freedom of information and freedom of assembly are over the last few weeks – it’s important that the new govt reforms repressive laws.”
The unusual electoral process The Gambia has involves rolling marbles into drums in order to choose candidates. The marbles were counted at each polling station and the results called in.
“We at the IEC are always saying that out electoral process is second to none in the world. It’s transparent, it’s accurate, it’s free and fair. Nobody can know who you’re voting for,” said Njie.