President Barrow’s Historic Inaugural Speech

INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF H.E. ADAMA BARROW
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA
19th January 2017

Fellow Gambians and friends of The Gambia, I am humbled to stand before you to address the whole world on this historic occasion. This is a day no Gambian will ever forget in one’s life time. This is the first time since The Gambia became Independent in 1965 that Gambians have change their government through the ballot box.

I must take this opportunity to thank the entire electorate of the Gambia and Gambians in the Diaspora for making this day possible.

I thank the entire campaign team of Coalition 2016 and the stakeholders for putting aside their political differences to unite us for the national interest.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to register special appreciation to Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, and the Chairperson of Authority of Heads of States of ECOWAS, for her personal commitment and tireless efforts towards resolving the political crises in The Gambia. The same sentiment goes to HE Muhammadou Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and H.E John Draman Mahama, former President of Ghana.

I must also express profound gratitude to ECOWAS, AU, the Security Council of the United Nations and all friendly nations who stood by us during our time of greatest need.

I wish to thank His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and his government for their hosting and hospitality accorded me and my delegation at the request of the ECOWAS Chair. This is what it means to be part of a Community of Democratic Nations.
Exceptional circumstance has compelled me to be sworn here today and does not permit all those who made this day possible to be present.

It was later realised that the loser of the Election may not fulfill the mandate of a caretaker government and facilitate a proper Inauguration with the full support of all state Agencies.

In fact, two days before the term of office of the incumbent expires a State of Emergency was declared. However, the Constitution of the Gambia does not permit any law maker to deprive a citizen of a right that is already acquired. My right as a winner to be sworn in and assume the Office of President is constitutionally guaranteed and irreversible.

I hereby make a special appeal to ECOWAS, AU and the U.N particularly the Security Council to support the Government and peoples of The Gamba in enforcing their will, restore their sovereignty and constitutional legitimacy.

I therefore call on all civilian and military Personnel of the state to support my Presidency since it is built on a Constitutional foundation. They are assured that they will not be subjected to any injustice and discrimination but would be provided with better working conditions and terms of service.

This is a victory of the Gambian Nation. Our National flag will now fly high among those of the most Democratic Nations of the world. The capacity to effect change through the ballot box has proven that power belongs to the people in the Gambia.

Violent change is banished forever from the political life of our country. All Gambians are therefore winners. There is no loser in the Gambian Election. It is a fact that we contest Elections on the basis of political diversity but we build Nations on the basis of National Unity. We are here assembled as One Gambia, One Nation, and One People.

Throughout our campaign we promised to unify our diverse people so that each would take ownership of the country, irrespective of ethnic origin, religion, gender or any other differences. Today, most Gambians are united in-order to give Gambia a new start.

Hence, as of today, I am the President of all Gambians regardless of whether you voted for me or not.

We could now become the architects of a Democratic Republic that is built on the pillars of Good Governance, Rule of Law and Respect for Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.

My government will implement comprehensive reforms. These include constitutional, institutional and legal reforms to expand the democratic gains we have made.

Your Excellencies, Honourable Guests, fellow Gambians, I belong to the generation of children who were born in 1965 when The Gambia became Independent. I believe in the wise saying that “to whom much is given, much is expected”.

I established a Think Tank, The Agency for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development (ASSED). This will bring experts on board to share their knowledge and skills in order to put in place an inclusive development agenda.

Your Excellencies, honourable guests and fellow Gambians, I would like to conclude by saying that men and women of this nation joined hands to effect a change that was in the making for many decades.

This is a change that should bring liberty and prosperity to everyone and not to be discriminated on the basis of gender, religion or ethnic origin. We are now determined to build a Gambia where merit and what you know counts more than who you know.

As the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, I call on all personnel of the armed forces and other security agencies to remain loyal to the constitution and to the Republic.

I command the Chief of Defense Staff, and other officers of the high command to demonstrate their loyalty to me as their commander-in-chief, without any delay. I command all members of the armed forces to remain in their barracks. Those found wanting or in possession of fire arms without my order, shall be considered rebels.

Gambia is our homeland! It demands our love and loyalty. Let us all pledge our firm allegiance to be ever true to our mother land The Gambia.

Long Live The Republic
Long Live the United People of The Gambia.

Forward Ever! Backward Never!

Ends

5 Comments

  1. Modou Lamin (Lamin Touray)

    AL-HAMDU LILAHI RABBIL ALAMIN
    AL HAMDU LILAH WA SHUKRU LILLAH (Allah and all thanks to Allah)
    BARAK ALLAH Gambia(May the Blessings of Allah be upon Gambia

    Thank you Mother Gambia, your sons and daughters have been blessed to wiped your tears for the long 22 years of brutality
    Thank you, the Architects for bringing and unifying these great political parties.
    Thank you, the political parties for setting aside your individual political and individual differences and interest for Mother .
    Thank you electorates
    Thank you media houses
    thank you Diaspora
    Thank you GDF and all fund raisers
    Thank you to all for giving out your Dollars, Euros, Pounds, Dalasis, Dinars and any currency you gave

    Thank you Your Excellency Mr Adama Barrow for the challenge you took, may Allah Guide you and your team to the right path and ease your task for you all

    • Oh really! Modou Lamin…..(Lamin Touray).
      I could bet Jammeh would call Mariama Jammeh back after years on if he had succeeded to clinch on power, to be inaugurated as Gambia’s first lady president. Himself would go back to the military again and extend the length of his name;

      Re-appointed, Anointed and Ordained, Chosen Lord and Commander-in-Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces, His Former Excellency, Doctor, Alhaji, Professor Yaya AJJ Jammeh, Amirulmu’umineen Babilmansa.

      Mariam Jammeh after ten years would be sent on exile by Jammeh himself who will blame her daughters exiling on security threats to her daughters life, by some bad element in the military and elsewhere. Then he(Jammeh)will come back to state house to do his finishing works in turning it into a castle, and ”His Royal Highness, Owner and Beloved Son of Gambia” too, will be wedged in the paragraph of titles in the latter.
      May God shed more light on the path of the new government.
      God bless The Republic of The Gambia.
      All praises and thanks be to God, all Jammeh evil intentions didn’t prevail.

  2. Modou Lamin

    Hahaha Samsedeen sarr prophesy “Meet me in Conakry” Sam prophesied to meet jammeh in Conakry. You may be correct in this bro Sammy

  3. Luntango Suun Gann Gi

    Sam Sarr TODAY – Jammeh Exile Day: Read it here: –
    http://www.freedomradiogambia.com/2017/01/gambia-sam-sarrs-fart-becomes-crap/

  4. The dude above, H.E Adama Barrow has all indications that he is smart and steadfast though he’s yet to actually prove.
    He has the backing of well experienced opposition political party leadership, in a levelled politics playground of opinions, views and ideals in abundance.

    One like myself don’t have wee bit an idea who is who out there on the ground or even of participants including journalist in the diaspora most of whom are victims of the Jammeh terror regime, except for a fact that a name here and there might ring to me. Sam Sarr is a name I heard of for sometime now, but didn’t really make any sense to me than the perfect example of hypocrisy in the Gambian societies. Hypocritic environment is one that’ll be complacent to lies, acts of greed, sycophancy, lying, killings of innocent citizens, torture of suckling babies and their mothers and misappropriation of public funds.

    Engagement in important national development issues right now is predominantly essential over frightening GRIM REAPER tales.

    I heard from a wise old friend; good boys and girls go to HEAVEN, and bad boys and girls go EVERYWHERE. I have come to agree with my good old friend after my own experiences of the mistakes i made and of those i was tempted to at EVERYWHERE. EVERYWHERE is NOT HEAVEN and sam Sarr the GRIM REAPER is in EVERYWHERE. That’s why EVERYWHERE needs an air-freshener, appropriate for a GRIM REAPER’s.

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