He promised to cleanse the Gambia of tyranny. Now, he's suppressing the opposition

Adama Barrow ousted ruler Yahya Jamma in 2016, promising to announce new elections in three years. However, he now insists on completing his five-year term and outlawing a protest movement against him. At least 3 were killed in clashes, and radio stations were shut down

He promised to cleanse the Gambia of tyranny. Now, he's suppressing the opposition

The Gambia yesterday (Sunday) outlawed a movement opposing President Adama Baru's decision to deny his promise to precede the elections, alongside violent protests against him in the capital. According to medical sources, three protesters were killed yesterday, but the government denies it.

The president came to power in 2017 as the head of a coalition of parties that opposed former dictator Yahya Jama, and agreed that he would chair a temporary government for three years and eventually call the election. However, some members of his coalition agreed last year to support him until the end of a five-year term, as permitted by the constitution. On the other hand, two coalition parties opposed.

In recent days, thousands of civilians under the Jutna ("enough" in the local language) protests for three years against the president's continued stay in power in the small West African country. The government called the movement "subversive, violent and illegal".

According to the French news agency, police yesterday fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters in the capital in Banjul, who responded by throwing stones and burning tires. According to the Red Cross, 28 people were taken to a hospital in the capital yesterday.

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Promised to respect human rights. Barrow (Photo: AP)

Gambia President Adama Baru, 2017 (Photo: AP)

A statement by government spokesman Abrima Sankara said the movement was "determined to illegally oust the elected constitutional government." He added that the movement was never legally registered, and he warned media outlets about "promoting its agenda."

In addition, the government shut down two radio stations that transmitted "enthusiastic messages" and implored citizens to join the protest movement, while "jeopardizing the security" of the state. Police have so far arrested more than 130 people who took part in the demonstrations. A reporter from the French news agency said that the detainees had also been the president of the protest movement, lost to Negi, but the government did not approve of it.

After receiving accolades at the beginning of his term for pledging to respect human rights and establishing a commission to investigate crimes committed during his predecessor's 22-year term, Barrow is now facing a series of challenges.

Earlier this month, hundreds of former dictator supporters backed him to allow him to return to exile in Equatorial Guinea, where he fled after threatening military action by Gambia's neighbors after refusing to recognize his election defeat. However, the current government has warned that he would be arrested if he returned to his involvement in the killings, torture and other crimes allegedly committed by his security forces. The former ruler denies it.
Barrow also faced a weak economy, collapsing under massive debts he inherited from the previous government.