Hundreds of Gambians marched on the outskirts of the capital, Banjul, on Saturday, calling for justice over the human rights abuses, including forced disappearances, rape, and murder which occurred during…
Despite Adama Barrow’s comfortable win in December’s presidential elections, his party failed to clinch a convincing majority in recent National Assembly polls. Without the deciding vote, it will be difficult for Barrow to govern and ensure that long overdue constitutional reforms work in his favour. In the December poll, the president garnered 53% of the vote, with his closest contender Ousainou Darboe managing just 27.7%. Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) failed to replicate these gains in the National Assembly elections held in April this year. The NPP fell short of securing the majority, with a final tally of 24 seats (out of 58), including the president’s five nominated legislators.
Nine former soldiers and members of the infamous “Junglers” hit-squad of former president Yahya Jammeh have returned to Gambia from exile and remain at large. Pending a government White Paper on the implementation of the Truth Commission recommendations, due to be published by May 24, the Ministry of Justice has not yet decided whether to prosecute them, to the confusion of the victims.
On April 25, the trial of a former member of a hit squad – known as the “Junglers” – under Yahya Jammeh’s rule in The Gambia opens before a German court. Baboucar “Bai” Lowe is a self-confessed former driver of this paramilitary group that he publicly denounced several years before the fall of Jammeh. His trial is the first of a Gambian under the principles of universal jurisdiction.