Gambians Mass protests
Masses of Gambians held demonstrations in the streets on Saturday, seeking justice for the oppression they encountered during Yahya’s 22-year rule. Yahya was the former president of the Gambians. He supplemented his rule with extreme dictatorship. All he has reaped is enmity with his oppressed citizens. Because of the resentment by the people, they engaged in protests to advocate for justice. President Yahya lost elections to the current chief in command, Adam Barrow, after which he fled from his country. He lives as an expatriate in Equatorial Guinea. This is so as they condemn the man for his iron-fist rule. The prosecution of activists who challenged him. Justly enough, they detached the man from power when he declined to acknowledge his loss.
They dressed the protestors in t-shirts branded #justicemustprevail. They paraded in the outskirts of Banjul holding banners with photos victims to persecution and those gone missing.one of them was Deyda Hydara, who was assassinated by Yahya’s henchmen. Maron Baldeh was a participant in the Saturday protest for her husband lieutenant Basiru was a victim of execution in 1994.
“We are sending a message to the government to act fast, because… justice delayed is justice denied. Yahya Jammeh should be arrested and put on trial.” She stated so.
Cry for justice
42-year-old widow, Nyima Sonko, also fronted the demonstrations. She did this to seek justice for her deceased husband. Her husband was tortured and left for dead after he led protests in march for democracy. These demonstrations for the government to ban Yahya’s APRC party from taking part in politics. “We are calling on the government to ban the APRC from taking part in active politics. “Reported Nyima.
Yahya’s enthusiasts
However, the prior week, thousands of Yahya enthusiasts paraded the outskirts of Banjul, demanding his homecoming. However, President Barrow is facing apprehension after he changed his retirement period to five years. As a result, this decision has resulted in tension.
Justice minister Abubacarr Tambadou has cautioned Yahya’s return to the Gambia as they would detain him for all the alleged accusations on him. The minister said Yahya would “face immediate arrest and charges of the most serious kind” if he returned, including “crimes against humanity.”
Members of APRC, however, claim the return of Yahya from exile. They are calling upon the united nations, ECOWAS, the African Union, and their government to allow Yahya to come home. Yahya supporters relate his exile to a violation of his rights hence seek his homecoming to be implemented. The efforts to help Yahya by his supporters were after news spread of how homesick he was and wanted to return to his country.
“I am coming back. They said they drove me out of the country. Apart from Allah, nobody can take me out of The Gambia,” Jammeh said.
Police maintain order
The police in Gambia seek to maintain law and order.as a result, they are driving out individuals engaging in non-governmental protests so that barrow can step down from office. This is anti-democratic, for the president still has two more years of power. According to his mandate, the group of individuals known as #operationthreeyearsjotna demands the president’s retirement following his earlier pledge of 3 years. The police declined Yahya’s supporters from protesting with the interior minister backing them up. They urged the supporters who had queries with the decision to appeal the matter to the Gambian law courts.
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