Yahya Jammeh had conceded result to Adama Barrow but now claims ‘fresh and transparent elections’ are needed

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Troops have been deployed to the streets of Banjul, the capital of the Gambia, after the autocratic president, Yahya Jammeh, unexpectedly rejected his defeat in an election last week and called for a fresh vote. The announcement made on state television Friday throws the future of the West African country into doubt after the unexpected election result ended Jammeh’s 22-year rule and was widely seen as a moment of democratic hope. As the military deployed onto the streets of the tiny nation, the US Embassy in Banjul urged the army to continue to show "respect for the rule of law and the outcome of the presidential election." "In the same way that I accepted the results faithfully believing that the Independent Electoral Commission was independent and honest and reliable, I hereby reject the results in totality," Jammeh said in a speech broadcast on state television. Jammeh, a devout Muslim who seized power in 1994 in the former British colony, warned Gambians not to take to the streets to protest his decision. “We will maintain peace and stability and not let anyone provoke us into violence.”

Official election results from the electoral commission gave Barrow, a real estate developer who once worked as a security guard at retailer Argos in London, 45.5 percent of the vote against Jammeh’s 36.7 percent. But on Friday he pointed to errors which awarded victory to his opponent Adama Barrow with a slimmer margin than initially announced, claiming that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots. DAKAR, Senegal -- Gambia's president-elect said Saturday that the outgoing leader who now rejects his defeat has no constitutional authority to call for another election, and he called on President Yahya Jammeh to help with a smooth transition in the interest of the tiny West African country. It added: “The Gambian people have made a clear choice for change and a new start.”

In Washington, the state department issued a statement calling Jammeh’s change of heart “a reprehensible and unacceptable breach of faith with the people of the Gambia and an egregious attempt to undermine a credible election process and remain in power illegitimately.”

The Gambian opposition spokeswoman Isatou Touray criticised the “violation of democracy” and called for people to “remain calm, lucid, vigilant and not retreat”. “The international community, notably ECOWAS (the West African regional bloc) and the African Union, should loudly protest any unlawful attempt to subvert the will of the Gambian people,” said Babatunde Olugboji, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch. Jammeh had conceded defeat on state TV last week, prompting wild celebrations over the defeat of a government that human rights groups accused of detaining, torturing and killing opponents during the president’s rule.
Gambian security forces are deployed on the streets of the capital Banjul, following President Yahya Jammeh's rejection of last week's presidential election result.