Democratic reversal in Gambia?

Not a few political analysts and watchers of events in Gambia believed the recently conducted presidential elections will be free and fair.  This is more so after the government shut the internet and prevented real monitoring of the elections as it has always done. For most observers, it was going to be a sham election with a predetermined outcome – the victory of the incumbent, Yahyah Jammeh, who has been in power for 22 years now.

But the unexpected happened. In a move that shocked the world, the electoral commission announced Adama Barrow the winner of the elections. President Jammeh, a brutal dictator who had governed with an iron hand for most of his 22 years in power, also surprised the world by conceding defeat. Everything looked set for a peaceful transfer of power until late last week when President Jammeh made a volte face that is capable of throwing the small country of 2 million people into an avoidable political crisis. Talking on national television, Jammeh said: “After a thorough investigation, I have decided to reject the outcome of the recent election. I lament serious and unacceptable abnormalities which have reportedly transpired during the electoral process…I recommend fresh and transparent elections which will be officiated by a god-fearing and independent electoral commission.”

Of course, the United Nations, the UN Security Council, the African Union, ECOWAS and most nations of the world have condemned Jammeh’s U-tern insisting that he must respect the choice of the sovereign people of Gambia. The AU, sounding tough, described Jammeh’s statement as “null and void”.

Jammeh’s volte face may have been spurred by insinuations from the camp of the President elect that he will be prosecuted for his many crimes within a year of handing over the reins of government.

Human rights group and others have accused Jammeh’s government of detaining, torturing and killing his opponents during his rule. The incoming government intends to see him appear at The Heague to defend himself.

Mr Jammeh had signalled that he intended to return to his farm in Kanilai, close to the Senegalese border to “eat what I grow and grow what I eat” – his favourite political slogan. But the incoming governing coalition felt Jammeh had “bunkers and treasure” to start an insurgency from his farm. The coalition suspects he wants to move all the weaponry and soldiers he had over the border to Casamance, in the south of Senegal.

Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, the architect and head of the coalition that defeated Mr Jammeh was quoted as saying:

“He can’t leave. If he leaves, he’s going to escape us,” she said. “We are stopping him from leaving. We are negotiating. He said he wants to go to Kanilai. Any day he tells us he wants to go abroad, then we say no. It’s the presidential prerogative.” “He will be prosecuted. I’m saying a year but it could be less than that.”

Yahya Jammeh, who previously vowed to bury opposition figures “nine feet deep” is facing the prospect of appearing at the International Criminal Court at The Hague, a court he gave notice of pulling out from but which the incoming government vowed to rejoin.

That may have been too much for Jammeh to contemplate and he is using all in his powers now to avoid leaving power or at least, negotiate a favourable exit from power.

Indeed, that has been the trend among most African leaders who have committed crimes against humanity to not want to leave power or at worse, be guaranteed of safety after office.

We feel the coalition also rushed into making statements and comments that alarmed Mr Jammeh. It should have kept its cards close to its chest and safely take over power before rushing to make sure weighty statements.

This also reveals the real intent of Gambia and many other African leaders rushing to leave the International Court of Justice. The leaders of these countries are, most times, guilty of crimes within the jurisdiction of the courts and are afraid of being dragged before the courts and not because of any equity and justice issue. The victims of these crimes deserve some form of justice.