By Abdoulie John
Gambian President on Thursday dispelled confusion surrounding his country’s presidential term limit, which has been left wide open during the tenure of the ousted dictator Yahya Jammeh. President Adama Barrow said he would do his best to honour what he considered as his major campaign promise.
“It is a campaign promise, and we are committed to respecting it,” confident-looking leader told journalists during his bi-annual face-to-face interaction with the media.
President Barrow’s latest statement came on the heels of a pronouncement he made last Monday before the country’s lawmakers, announcing the much-awaited constitutional reform, which is expected to build the necessary institutional pillars of the Third Republic. The current constitution was tailor made to meet the demands of former longtime ruler to stay in power beyond his constitutional mandate. During his 22-year iron-fisted rule, Mr. Jammeh used the rubber-stamping Parliament to subvert the country’s fundamental law.
But his successor had since assured that his government is ready to give back power to Gambians through legal means. It is for this reason that the Gambia’s 1997 constitution will be completely overhauled before major reforms take place.
In line with President Barrow’s promise, deputies this week unanimously voted in favour of removing the age-limit for public office holders. The age-limit provision was designed by Yahya Jammeh to bar opposition leaders above 65 years from contesting for presidential election. This discriminatory law also outlawed judges above 65 from holding public office Early, resulting to mass hiring of outside judges most of who turned out to be mercenary judges.
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Let them declare their assets in public. That is what we want, let them be honest.