Country report: Spotlight on The Gambia

Some basic facts

Joined Commonwealth: 1965
Capital: Banjul
Population: 1,754,000 (2008)
GDP per capita growth: 0.3% per annum (1990–2006)
Official language: English
Time: GMT
Currency: dalasi (D)
Last elections: September 2006 (presidential), January 2007 (parliamentary)
Next elections: 2011 (presidential), 2012 (parliamentary)
Head of State: President Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya A J J Jammeh
Head of Government: The President
Ruling party: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
Independence: 18 February 1965

What is the recent political history in The Gambia?

After re-election on five occasions (the country retaining multiparty democracy under his 29-year leadership), President Dawda Jawara was deposed in a bloodless coup by junior army officers in July 1994. Captain Yahya Jammeh then set up the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, which pledged a return to democratic civilian government.

An 11-member constitutional commission, chaired by a Ghanaian judge and including British, American and Malawian lawyers, prepared a draft new constitution in 1995. A national referendum on the draft constitution was held in August 1996, and the ban on political activity lifted in the same month (although ex-President Jawara and the leaders of the three main opposition parties were barred). The presidential election was held in September, and won by Jammeh, with 55% of the votes. Three days after this election, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) raised serious doubts about the credibility of the poll.

In January 1997, parliamentary elections were contested by Jammeh’s party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), the United Democratic Party (UDP) led by Ousainou Darboe, the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) and five independents. The UDP agreed to take part on condition political detainees were released and the army and security forces did not interfere in the electoral process. The APRC was the only party able to contest every seat; it was popular with traditional leaders and youth, and won with a more than two-thirds majority – gaining 33 seats. The UDP won seven, the NRP two and the PDOIS one. CMAG concluded that these were conducted in a freer atmosphere than the presidential election in September 1996.

The National Assembly was inaugurated in January 1997, and adopted the new constitution. Political prisoners, including ministers of the Jawara government and UDP supporters arrested before the elections, were released in February and charges dropped. In April 1997, the restoration of a civilian government was completed when the four remaining regional military governors were replaced by civilians.

In the presidential election in October 2001, attended by Commonwealth observers, Jammeh decisively won a second term with 53% of the votes, Darboe of the UDP came second with 33% and Hammat Bah of the NRP third with 8%.

This was followed in January 2002 by parliamentary elections when Jammeh’s APRC gained virtually all seats in the Assembly. The elections were boycotted by the UDP – claiming that the electoral roll had been manipulated – and the APRC was unopposed in 33 of the 48 seats. Because of the UDP boycott, the Commonwealth decided not to observe the elections.

Jammeh was returned for a third term with 67% of the votes in the presidential election of September 2006, which was again attended by Commonwealth observers. Darboe (UDP) received 27% of the votes and Halifa Sallah (National Alliance for Democracy and Development) 6%.

In the parliamentary elections that followed in January 2007 the APRC won 42 seats and the UDP four, and the turnout was 42%.

How does the Commonwealth Secretariat help The Gambia?

The following articles describe some of the Commonwealth’s projects, which aim to assist the West African country:

· Research opens door to assessing effects of decentralisation in The Gambia

‘Typical’ councillor represents 16,000 people and works over 38 hours per week

· Commonwealth helps councillors in The Gambia to develop community projects

Training programme was organised to secure assistance from World Bank’s ‘community-driven development programme’ 

· Local Councillors should ensure effective relationships with their communities and central government

Commonwealth publication ‘Decentralisation in The Gambia’ is launched at workshop which focused on ways to improve running of local governments 

· Commonwealth training on local government financing for public sector officials

Participants from 14 countries, including The Gambia benefit from CFTC-funded workshop 

· Distance learning seen as way to promote gender awareness

Draft action plan is applauded by Executive Director of The Gambia's Women's Bureau 

· Senior West African officials receive training to combat terrorism

Preventing, investigating and prosecuting terrorist offences are all addressed at Commonwealth-organised event

· Reforming local governance in The Gambia

Commonwealth workshop to train senior government officials to improve implementation of reforms in local government
 

Case study (2009): Bringing criminals to book and enhancing rule of law in The Gambia

Strengthening the foundation for justice

After spending the past four years in The Gambia as a state prosecutor deployed by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC), Merley Wood is making a mark in the West African country’s legal circle as a prosecuting state counsel.

Posted to The Gambia for five years since November 2004, as part of a programme aimed at strengthening the country’s legal sector, the Ghanaian lawyer has represented the state in high-profile cases ranging from drugs offences to treason and fraud.

After pre-trial interviews with witnesses, Ms Wood’s mornings are spent at the High Court and her afternoons in the Magistrates’ Court. She then spends time writing legal opinions, dealing with correspondence and preparing for the following day’s cases, as well as consulting with colleagues in the criminal division of the Attorney-General’s chambers.

Challenges include transportation problems, and the failure of some witnesses to turn up in court to testify. Yet despite these issues, Ms Wood says she has been able to help reduce the backlog of cases awaiting trial.

A founding member of the country’s Female Lawyers’ Association, Ms Wood has mentored young attorneys to the point where they are able to handle cases alone. She has also obtained a set of law reports and research materials from Ghana, to enable Gambian lawyers to have access to reference material for case studies as they prepare their arguments in court.

Ms Wood has expressed the hope that ‘the young attorneys I have worked with will exhibit the skills learned from me wherever they find themselves.’

She also says her work is enriching: ‘The experience of living in another country has not only been to impart knowledge, but to make long-lasting friendships,’ Ms Wood concludes.

For more information on The Gambia, click here

Key Links:

• Country Profile: The Gambia