ELECTION
Gambia's ruling coalition breaks up ahead of April poll
Nine political parties will run separately in the April 6 election, seven of which had united to oust veteran leader Yahya Jammeh
Banjul — The Gambia’s ruling coalition has broken apart ahead of a parliamentary poll next month, dealing a blow to new President Adama Barrow as he overhauls the country’s political system following his shock election victory. Nine political parties will run separately in the April 6 election, seven of which had united last December to oust veteran leader Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the tiny west African nation with an iron fist for 22 years. Barrow had promised in January following his surprise defeat of Jammeh that the coalition would "continue as a family". But documents issued by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on Monday showed that 239 candidates will stand in April, representing nine separate organisations, with some running as independents. The national assembly was long seen as a rubber stamp for Jammeh’s executive decrees, but the new president has promised to work in tandem with legislators, notably on constitutional reform in the former British colony. The coaliti...
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