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The Gambia: President Barrow sworn in at packed stadium

The Gambia has formally sworn in its new elected President, Adama Barrow, in front of a crowd of thousands including African heads of state. It was the second time he had taken the oath after his

The Gambia has formally sworn in its new elected President, Adama Barrow, in front of a crowd of thousands including African heads of state.

It was the second time he had taken the oath after his formal inauguration was delayed by the reluctance of his predecessor to leave office.

“This is a victory for democracy,” he told a full stadium of his countrymen near the capital Banjul.

“Few people would have thought that I’d be standing here today,” he said.

He told the crowd that Gambian people now had the power to control their own destiny and that he was going to free political prisoners and improve press freedom.

“For 22 years, the Gambian people yearned to live in a country where our diverse tribes will be bridged by tolerance and our determination to work together for the common good,” he said. “One Gambia, one nation, one people.”

Mr Barrow, 51, talked of pressing economic challenges left over from the rule of his predecessor, Yahya Jammeh.

“We have inherited an economy in decline,” the new president said, and promised to attract investment in the technology sector, introduce free primary education and strengthen the judiciary.

“Gambia has changed forever. The people are fully conscious that they can put a government in office as well as remove it.”

The president’s first swearing-in was at a low-key event at the country’s embassy in Senegal last month, after the lengthy power struggle forced him into exile.

Crowds on Saturday had queued through the night to get a good spot inside the Independence Stadium.

Brass bands began playing ahead of the event and flags waved.

Mr Barrow is only the third president in the history of The Gambia, and the celebrations also mark 52 years of the west African country’s independence.

Read More: BBC – The Gambia: President Barrow sworn in at packed stadium

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5 COMMENTS
  • Z. Hagos February 18, 2017

    Transition of power, sooner or later, is a must. It can be peaceful or troublesome. Those who are for a peaceful transition believe in the power of the people as defined by the country’s constitution. While those who, do not believe in a peaceful transition of power, are said to have no confidence and thus they cause stagnation of everything out of fear. That is why peaceful transition of power is linked to revitalization of the country.
    ..
    Since the opposite of revitalization is stagnation, people say that with transition of power the country enjoys transition period. And, if the country is experiencing stagnation, the country suffers stagnation period. For example, because of no transition in Eritrea, the Eritrean people are suffering stagnation in everything. The stagnation or freeze of time in Eritrea is causing isolation of the country as well as people’s anger and disappointment forcing them to flee the country in order to see transitions, changes and transformations in their lives.

  • Aregawi February 19, 2017

    So, can the Eritrean people learn a lesson from the Gambian people and stand up against 26-years of ruthless tyranny which has become a threat to the whole population??? How long can Eritreans wait while the nation is stacked at the dead end??? Some body like the “Forto hero” has to act and act not to fail!!!

  • PH February 19, 2017

    Congratulations to Gambian people. After so long but almost peace fully got the say of theirs that may give us a hope. The problem is ours stagnation society do nothing else except worshipping the dictator. It seems like changing mind of ours is the best way. DIA doesn’t have friends anymore and who knows? He will have the chance of Qezafi sooner dem-seb ay-seddn iyu.

  • AHMED SALEH !!! February 19, 2017

    The facts in Eritrean sociopolitical affairs had been influenced on lies and deceit to convince people
    with sweet talk while their naked eye bear witness false promises , emptiness and desperation
    for the last 25 years . Now it seems easy way out to put blame to one individual who use us as playing
    field with bunch of fools .
    Obviously our educated , our politicians plus silent majority played a game of fools .
    Issaias government , his high rank officials and their henchmen got the green light to force people under
    control and surrender their right . Now hope to bring change can only come after the affected people
    inside the country start resist FEAR by itself because as we observed FEAR invites SILENCE to convoy
    injustices which brought many Eritreans to rot in prisons or to flee across border lines .
    Our problems lies on the hidden sowed seeds of Issayas agenda in Eritrean politics cloud . EPLF veterans
    were the first victims to taste its contaminated produce and unfortunately our young also followed to fell
    victims of deadly fruits .
    Gambia has legitimate opposition parties to topple their government while Eritreans inside the country
    see helpless political opponents thrown into dungeons .
    Eritreans praise one man rule as their savior because they prefer mistrust on each other .
    Issaias studied the mentality of people perfectly suitable to reach his dream of NIHNA-NISU kingdom ,

    • adhanom February 21, 2017

      Nihna nisu is sign of desperation and now it is effectively dead. U will not smell it anywhere in eritrea let alone to see it. The few who still use it live in the west and are few uneducated and come from few villages around asmara. Remember how many supported him till early 2000. We trusted him, he never. He was working day and night to surround himself with loyalists and control us (the people). He is now the most isolated leader in the entire world by his own people and the easiest solution is to target him for elimination.

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