Gambia and Gambian News

Country Profile

The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia is a country in West Africa. The Gambia is a very small and narrow country on mainland Africa with less than 48.2 km (30.0 mi) wide at its widest point, with a total area of 11,295 km²(approximately 1,300 km² of The Gambia's area is covered by water) 

Gambia is divided into 5 Divisions and 1 City.

Capital                                              Banjul

Currency                                          Dalasi(GMD)

Population                                       1.8 Million(2010 Estimate)

Official Language                              English

Religion                                           Islam 90%;Christianity 8%  and Others 2%

History

The British Empire occupied Gambia when an expedition led by Augustus Keppel landed there—following the Capture of Senegal in 1758. The 1783First Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of the Gambia River, but the French retained a tiny enclave at Albreda  on the river's north bank. This was finally ceded to the United Kingdom in 1856.

An agreement with the French Republic  in 1889 established the present boundaries of Gambia. Gambia became a British Crown Colony called British Gambia, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901, and it gradually progressed toward self-government.

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the ''Allies of World War II.Though these soldiers fought mostly in Burma some died closer to home and there is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Fajara (close to Banjul)

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform increased. Following general elections in 1962, the United Kingdom granted full internal self-governance in the following year. The Gambia achieved Independence on Feb 18,1965 as a constitutional monarchy within the British Commonwealth of Nations. 

The Gambian government held a referendum proposing that an elected president should replace The Gambian Monarch (Queen Elizabeth II) as the Head of State. This referendum failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, civil rights, and liberties. 

On April 24, 1970, Gambia became a Republic within the Commonwealth, following a second referendum. Prime Minister Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara became the Head of State.

The Gambia was led by President Dawda Jawara, who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the Jawara era was shattered first by an attempted coup in 1981. The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang who, on two occasions, had unsuccessfully sought election to Parliament. After a week of violence which left several hundred people dead, Jawara, in London when the attack began, appealed to Senegal for help. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force.

In the aftermath of this attempted coup, Senegal and Gambia signed a Treaty of Confederation in 1982 to combine the armed forces of the two states and to unify their economies and currencies. After just a short stretch of years, Gambia permanently withdrew from this confederation in 1989.

In 1994, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council(AFPRC) deposed the Jawara government and banned opposition political activity. LieutenantYahya A J J Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became Head of State. The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in 1997 and became responsible for registration of voters and conduct of elections and referendums.

In late 2001 and early 2002, the Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which foreign observers deemed free, fair, and transparent, albeit with some shortcomings. President Yahya Jammeh, who was elected to continue in the position he had assumed during the coup, took the oath of office again on Dec 21,2001.

Government

The Gambia is a Presidential Republic where the President is both Head of State and Head of Govt. and of a Multi-party System.Gambia is a One Party Dominant State with the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction(founder of the Party Yahya Jammeh) in power. Opposition Partiesare allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.

President of Gambia

The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted. He appoints the members of the Cabinet.Executive Power is exercised by the government.

Yahya Jammeh is the Current President in office from July 22,1994( he took power in a July 1994Military Coup and was elected as President in 1996; he was re-elected in 2001, 2006, and 2011)

  

Parliament of Gambia

Legislative Power is vested in both the Govt. and Parliament. The National Assembly  Which is Unicameral has 53 members, 48 members elected for a five year term and 4 members appointed.Members are elected in single-member constituencies using the simple majority.

2011 Gambian Presidential Election - Nov 24,2011

The incumbent Yahya Jammeh faced Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party and Hamat Bah of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development.The election was monitord by African Union.The result of the election -

Yahya Jammeh got 71.54% Votes

Ousainou Darboe got 17.36% Votes and

Hamat Bah got 11.11 % Votes

 




Election officials announced  that Yahya Jammeh had won with 72 percent of the vote. Main opposition leader Ousainu Darboe came in second with 17 percent and independent candidate Hamat Bah took 10 percent.


2012 Gambian Parliamentary Election - March 29,2012

Gambian oppositions are firm on their demand for the country’s electoral commission to level the uneven political playing field for them to participate in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.The opposition parties, seven of them have presented for consideration a document to the IEC on what should be done to ensure that there is genuine elections.