Gambia President Barrow reiterates commitment to 3-year mandate
Gambian President Adama Barrow has reiterated his commitment to a three-year mandate in office as agreed by the eight political parties in the opposition Coalition that defeated former President Yahya Jammeh.
“After the three years, if my work is not completed within the period, it will be left to the Coalition to decide for me to continue or handover power,” President Barrow told journalists during his first press conference in Banjul on Saturday.
According to Gambia’s constitution, the President is elected to serve five years, but stakeholders in the opposition Coalition that defeated Jammeh agreed on three years for President Barrow who also disclosed that he would name his cabinet this week.
The Gambian leader also reversed the country’s working days to Monday-Friday. The country’s working days were changed by the former president from Monday to Thursday following his declaration of the West African nation as an Islamic republic.
He gave the assurance that he would create jobs for the youth and review wrongful dismissals by the former government.
President Barrow reiterated that his government would set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to look into all human rights abuses by the former government, stressing that it would be done in good faith without witch-hunting.
President Barrow said his government would immediately change the name of the dreaded National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
NIA is a police organization of Gambia established by the Jammeh’s military junta in July 1994 to replace the National Security Services (NSS), whose mandate was to investigate alleged crimes under the ministry of Interior in the First Republic.
Under Jammeh the NIA was described as a notorious body that tortured citizens and secretly detained people without due process of law.
Several Gambians alleged torture at the NIA during interrogation, while some said they were forced to speak against their will.
“We will change the name of the institution and train the personnel to be professionals contrary to what they are today,” Barrow said.
The Gambian leader stated that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Ousman Bargie would continue to retain his post while Lieutenant General Masanneh Kinteh would serve as his adviser.
He said that his government would do everything possible to ensure cordial relations with the Senegalese government. Barrow stayed in and was sworn into office in Senegal while Jammeh refused to relinquish power.
