Yahya Jammeh

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Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Incumbent
Assumed office 
July 1994
Vice President(s)   Isatou Njie Saidy
Preceded by Dawda Jawara
Born May 25, 1965
Kanilai, The Gambia
Political party Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
Spouse Madam Zineb Jammeh

Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung) Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. As chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, he took control of the country in a military coup in July 1994, and was elected as president two years later, in September 1996, in widely criticized elections.[1] He founded the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction as his political party. Jammeh was re-elected on October 18, 2001 with about 53% of the vote; this election was generally deemed free and fair by observers.[2].

President Jammeh was formerly named Yahya Alphonse Jemus Jebulai Jammeh.

Jammeh has been accused of restricting freedom of the press; harsh new press laws were followed by the unsolved killing of a reporter who had been critical of them, Deyda Hydara, in December 2004.[3] Jammeh has denied that security agents were involved in the killing.[4] A coup attempt against Jammeh was reported to have been thwarted on March 21, 2006; Jammeh, who was in Mauritania at the time, quickly returned home. Army chief of staff Ndure Cham, the alleged leader of the plot,[5] reportedly fled to neighboring Senegal, while other alleged conspirators were arrested[6] and have been put on trial for treason.[7]

Jammeh ran for a third term as president on September 22, 2006; the election was initially planned for October but was moved forward because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. He was re-elected with 67.3% of the vote and was declared the winner of the election; opposition candidate Ousainou Darboe finished second, as in 2001.[8] Darboe rejected the results, saying that the election was not free and fair and that there was widespread intimidation.[4]

In early December 2006, Jammeh made a three-day visit to Iran, where he met with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and supreme leader Ali Khamenei; Ahmadinejad said that Iran would provide aid to assist in the development of The Gambia, and he and Jammeh spoke of deepening ties between the two countries.[9][10]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Background Note: The Gambia, U.S. Department of State, March 2006.
  2. ^ Country Report on Human Rights Practices for The Gambia, U.S. Department of State, March 4, 2002.
  3. ^ "Thousands protest peacefully at murder of journalist", IRIN, December 22, 2004.
  4. ^ a b "Gambian opposition claims fraud", BBC.co.uk, September 25, 2006.
  5. ^ "Attempted coup averted, government says", IRIN, March 22, 2006.
  6. ^ "Arrests over Gambia 'coup plot'", BBC.co.uk, March 28, 2006.
  7. ^ "Suspected Gambian coupists before court martial", afrol News, October 6, 2006.
  8. ^ "Gambian president is re-elected", BBC News, September 23, 2006.
  9. ^ "Pressure has no impact on Iran-Gambia ties: Ahmadinejad", Islamic Republic News Agency, December 4, 2006.
  10. ^ "Gambia Calls for Expansion of Ties with Iran", Fars News Agency, December 4, 2006.

[edit] See also

Preceded by
Dawda Jawara		 President of The Gambia
1994–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Persondata
NAME Jammeh, Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Jammeh, Yahya Alphonse Jemus Jebulai (former name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION Gambian president
DATE OF BIRTH May 25, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH living
PLACE OF DEATH
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