EDITORIAL: Ecowas quick to back voters
The Gambia story has a happily democratic ending — or so we hope
The Gambia didn’t have a dictatorship as such, but the incumbency of former president Yahya Jammeh, who originally took power in a coup 22 years ago, became increasingly authoritarian and brutal as Jammeh clung to power in the face of rising levels of opposition. When he was unexpectedly defeated by opposition challenger Adama Barrow in December’s election, despite his efforts to rig the vote, it seemed an exciting victory for democracy and constitutionalism in the small West African state. But not long after, Jammeh publicly conceded defeat to Barrow, he rescinded the concession, launching a court challenge to the election result. He then declared a state of emergency last week, just two days before Barrow was due to be inaugurated. It seemed to reinforce all the stereotypes about African leaders clinging to power indefinitely, even in supposed democracies. But this story has a happily democratic ending — or so we hope. Under Sirleaf’s decisive leadership, and with the backing of t...
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