Gambia’s president-elect promises term limit, new constitution

Gambia’s president-elect promises term limit, new constitution

Adama Barrow also calls for calm after 2 opposition parties refuse to accept poll outcome

By Mustapha K Darboe

BANJUL, Gambia (AA) - Gambia's newly reelected president promised Tuesday to push through a new constitution that was previously rejected by lawmakers as he prepared to begin a new term on Jan. 19.

Adama Barrow led in the country’s Dec. 4 presidential elections with a comfortable 53% margin, defeating Ousainou Darboe, the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), his former party.

Barrow first came to power in 2016, defeating former President Yahya Jammeh with the backing of seven political parties.

A new constitution was on Barrow’s agenda in 2016. However, a new draft of the country’s Constitutional Review Commission was rejected in September 2020.

The framers of the draft constitution inserted a clause which included Barrow’s first term as one of the only two terms he could serve, a view his party consider discriminatory. They campaigned against the draft, which was supported by the opposition.

“I’m a big fan of term limits, I’m a big fan of an absolute majority. But as I said, these things are not the president’s decision. It has to pass through processes, I think the National Assembly. The document got to the National Assembly. They disagreed. We tried to negotiate through mediators,” he said.

“We will have a new constitution before the end of my term. No doubt about that. I am committed to it and I will make sure it happens.”

Barrow also promised justice for the victims of human rights abuse under former leader Jammeh’s term. Jammeh’s crimes were investigated by a truth commission that recently submitted its report to the president-elect.

The commission found that at least 240 people were killed on the orders of Jammeh or state agents from 1994 to 2016.

“The TRRC [Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission] is a very important project,” said Barrow.

“We will look at the [commission’s] report and we will make it public after one month so that me and you will all know what is in the report. And not more than six months we should come out with the white paper.”

Barrow’s election was declared free and fair by both local and international observers. However, two opposition parties—the UDP and the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) —have contested the results. They are yet to challenge it at the Supreme Court or reveal any evidence of foul play.

On Monday, supporters of the UDP clashed with paramilitary forces at the residence of party leader Darboe. Darboe’s supporters also said the vote was rigged.

Barrow, who now presides over a highly divided country, took the time to call for calm and peace.

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