Yahya Jammeh

The loneliest man alive

From soldier, to dictator, to president, to dictator. All in 22 years.

This is story of the rise and removal of Yahya Jammeh, by the people of Gambia.

Jammeh remained in the State House like his life depended on it. Like he had done since he came into power over 22 years ago. Perhaps in the trying weeks since his ballot defeat, he reminisced on his beginnings. Perhaps he remembers his teachers always complaining that he talked about Politics too much. Or how he was just another guard, warding off people trying to get too close to the president he toppled.

Perhaps, he’s spent the last few weeks, thinking about the events of July 22, 1994.From Independence in 1965, Gambia’s history was one long page of ato be in the area at the time. When the coup plotters, entirely junior officers, reached the government house, there was no resistance from guards, most of whom had fled. There was no President either, but before them was the State House, and the country’s seat of power, vacant.

A bloodless coup had been accomplished, to their own surprise.

An Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) was formed with four men being the most significant, all Lieutenants — Signateh, Sabali, Hydara, and Jammeh.

Yahya Jammeh emerged as Chairman, and in standard military fashion, the constitution was suspended, curfews were imposed and borders were closed. Jammeh justified his coup saying Dauda Jawara was corrupt, even saying the President hadn’t built a single hospital or university in 30 years. He was right.

He claimed