Gambia - The African Mirror

Dec

2021

What’s in store for Gambians as they gear up for hotly contested poll

GAMBIANS will shortly go to the polls to elect a new president in the country’s ninth direct presidential election, of which only one has seen an opposition candidate defeat the incumbent. That was in December 2016 when Adama Barrow defeated Yahya Jammeh to end the latter’s 22 years of brutal rule. Author DAVID PERFECT, Visiting professor, University of Chester Before that, Dawda Jawara had won three successive elections between 1982 and 1992 and Jammeh five between 1996 and 2011. Even after being defeated at the polls Jammeh tried to cling to power by initially rejecting the outcome. But Barrow was…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

Windstorm in Gambia kills 10, displaces hundreds

NEWS

PAP SAINE ENTIRE families wandered around the outskirts of Gambia's capital Banjul in search of shelter, after an overnight windstorm levelled scores of houses in some of the country's western districts and claimed at least 10 lives. "The wind destroyed the roof of my house ... and my situation is devastated because of lack of finance," said Amadou Marong, who was taken in by a neighbour after the winds carried off the sheet-metal roofing that protected him from the rain. Many of the small African nation's coastal urban areas remained without electricity or running water on Thursday evening, after utility…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Gambian war crimes suspect arrested

NEWS

GERMAN police detained a Gambian man yesterday suspected of participating in crimes against humanity, including the killing of a journalist, as a driver in the elite guard of former President Yahya Jammeh, Germany's federal prosecutor said. Journalist Deyda Hydara The Federal Public Prosecutor General (GBA) identified the suspect as Bai L., under German privacy rules which bar releasing the surname of suspects. It said the suspect had been a member of Jammeh's elite guard, known as "the junglers", for three years starting in December 2003, and on at least three occasions drove officers to locations where they fired on the…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Gambia’s economy to shrink 1.5% in 2020

BUSINESS

GAMBIA’S economy will contract 1.5% in 2020 versus a previous estimate of 6.5% growth as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on tourism, the finance ministry has said. "The new growth estimates are based on the shocks associated with the closure of airports, land borders and lack of tourism activities," it said, projecting a rebound to growth of 5.9% in 2021. The gross domestic product of mainland Africa's smallest country grew 6% in 2019 despite a sharp drop in agricultural output and the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook, the travel operator that brought around 40% of annual visitors.…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Gambia MPs reject retroactive bill curbing term limits as unlawful

NEWS

GAMBIAN lawmakers loyal to President Adama Barrow said they had voted against a new constitution that would have barred him from serving two more terms because the charter's retroactive provision was unlawful. After days of intense debate, 31 lawmakers in the West African nation's parliament voted to reject the draft constitution on Tuesday, while 21 voted to approve it for a national referendum. The laws included a new two-term limit for presidents, which would have applied retroactively, preventing Barrow from emulating other West African leaders who have recently used new constitutions as reset buttons on their mandates. "We don't legally…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Gambia president extends state of emergency as COVID-19 cases surge

COVID-19

GAMBIA’S President Adama Barrow has extended by 21 days a state of emergency in mainland Africa's smallest nation as coronavirus cases surged, according to a government statement. Gambia, with a population of just over 2 million, has reported 2,743 cases since the outbreak in March, and 93 deaths. The daily reported cases were relatively low until mid-July. Cases have increased exponentially in the country, which is mostly surrounded by Senegal, in the last couple of weeks, prompting the government to reimpose restrictive measures. Neighboring Senegal has reported 13,294 cases with 277 deaths. Public gatherings in Gambia have been banned, dusk-to-dawn…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Gambia coronavirus cases surge 60% in a week

COVID-19

COVID-19 cases in Gambia, mainland Africa's smallest country, have surged over 60% in the last seven days to nearly 800 cases, health ministry data showed on Wednesday. Authorities attributed the rise to people relaxing their guard on protective measures that had so far kept Gambia's case total the lowest in Africa. Testing has also increased in the country, where the number of deaths is 16. "There is increased enforcement of mask-wearing and other measures across the country," government spokesman Ebrima Sankareh said. Gambia will increase police, paramilitary, marine and immigration presence on its border as scores of Senegalese return from…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Three Gambian ministers test positive for COVID-19

COVID-19

THREE cabinet ministers in Gambia have tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency said, in a further sign the virus is ripping though the corridors of power after the nation's vice president tested positive last week. President Adama Barrow is in self-isolation for the next two weeks, the presidency said last week after Vice President Isatou Touray tested positive. Now, finance minister Mambureh Njie, energy minister Fafa Sanyang and agriculture minister Amie Fabureh have also been infected by the virus, the presidency said in a statement late on Sunday. The statement gave no detail on the state of the ministers' health.…

Jul

2020

By The African Mirror

Gambia VP tests positive for coronavirus, president self-isolating

NEWS

Gambia's Vice President Isatou Touray has tested positive for COVID-19, leading President Adama Barrow to enter self-isolation for the next two weeks, the presidency said on Wednesday. The presidency's statement did not provide any further details about Touray's condition. Touray, who is 65, was named vice president last year. The Gambia, mainland Africa's smallest country, has recorded 326 cases of COVID-19, including nine deaths, the lowest totals in West Africa. - Thomson Reuters Foundation