The man who threw the Gambia into a month of political logjam has expressed his readiness to end the uncertainty.
In a televised address on Tuesday night, the outgoing President Yahya Jammeh said he would enter into dialogue with the opposition coalition members with a view to resolving the political impasse that bedevils the small West African nation.
Mr Jammeh, who maintains being cheated in the presidential election, is upbeat that Gambians are capable of resolving their differences without external involvement.
President Jammeh first ascended to power in a July 1994 coup d’etat. He has won four consecutive elections. He lost the fifth term bid to the coalition candidate Adama Barrow. Jammeh conceded defeat and congratulated his opponent. He recanted a week later, complaining of irregularities in the polls. The complaint came after the electoral commission made correction to the results. Jammeh and his party filed petition at the Supreme Court where lack of judges prevented the case from proceeding.
Mr. Jammeh’s reversal of decision and high-handed behaviour of his security forces have thrown the country into chaos, with many people leaving the urban areas to the provinces and the neighbouring country.
But after weeks of uncertainty characterised by flurry of diplomatic activity in Banjul, Jammeh said he will take all possible steps within his conscience and law to resolve the impasse.
“I assure everyone that as a Gambian, a Muslim, and a family man no foreigner can love this country and hold its highest interest of heart more than myself and the majority of Gambians. So I will also be taking all possible steps within the constitution and my conscience to do my part to resolve this impasse,” he said.
“Cabinet sat and we will continue to sit and liaise with the National Assembly to take all constitutional measures to make sure that the supremacy of the rule of law and the constitution in the next few days,” Jammeh said.
Jammeh tasked the Secretary General to meet with all stakeholders in the country and prepare a meeting to resolve any mistrust and issues amongst themselves. The Secretary General will also liaise with Justice Minister and the Parliament to draft a general amnesty bill to ensure that a climate of confidence and security within the constitutional mandate is restored.
“In this connection, I hereby issue an executive order to that effect that nobody be arrested or prosecuted due to acts or omissions in the pre and post electoral period from November 1st 2016 to Jan 31st 2017.
“As the whole world has seen, we continue as a people to exhibit the highest degree of fraternity and despite the heated passions we have maintained to the highest degree the virtues of patience, tolerance and mutual respect across ethnic and faith lines,” Jammeh said, appealing to Gambians, particularly political leaders to forgive each other and work together to consolidate peace and harmony in the country.
“As we are all human and bound to make mistakes, we therefore accept this as a test on our faith by Allah individually and collectively as believing people,” Jammeh said. “I ask all Gambians and other nationals in the country to go about their business in peace and security and I assure you that Allah willing all will continue to be well and this will all be resolved in peace.”
Ends
It seems to be a softening of his position and perhaps an indication that it has finally dawned on him that he must accept the inevitable: that his rule has been ended democratically, and that Mr Barrow’s assumption to the Office of the President of the Republic cannot be thwarted.
I hope his supporters decend from their short sojourn in cloud nine and live with the reality that they will be in opposition, if they wish to continue existing as a political party.
The winning coalition team must do whatever it takes to secure a peaceful transfer of power to the incoming president and his new government. And I personally think that, though Mr Jammeh has tried to dictate terms and preempt the discussions by issuing directives for the drafting of a general amnesty legislation, not even this underhand tactic should be an obstacle to securing a peaceful transfer.
We can earnestly begin the work of fixing the country and addressing all genuinely expressed concerns of the people, once the new government is in place and firmly in control. Let’s allow the coalition team to get down to work and get this situation resolved as quickly as possible and hopefully, we can all breathe a sigh of relief soon and take our country back from the woods, where it has been since 1994.
Welcome to the New Gambia : A Gambia fit for her peace loving and God fearing people.
It will be a historical mistake for the coalition to agree to any form of amnesty for Dictator Jammeh and his henchmen. There should be no amnesty for him . If the coalition cannot prosecute him then individual citizen and Senegal has every rights to file criminal complaint against him . Yaya jammeh must be eliminated from our political and economic scene. If they give him chance , he will come back in few short years to influence our politics. He is a existential threat to our peace and security. Senegal and The Gambia must work together to get rid of him by any means necessary. He must be killed post presidency. We shouldn’t give him any slightest chance to redeem himself. I know Gambians are forgiven people but it will be deadly mistake to allow Yaya jammeh to live among us as a private citizen. He must not be even put in maximum security prison or any prison for that matter . He must be captured and taken to court and executed. His remains must be buried in high sea just like Bin Laden was buried , or he must be cremated and his ashes thrown into high sea . This will ensure that even his supporters do not have access to his cemetery or graveyard . The evil man must be eliminated from our country.