The Gambia gained independence in 1965, and from then until 1970, Queen Elizabeth II was its head of state. She was represented in The Gambia by a governor-general.
In 1970, The Gambia became a republic, and the queen’s role ended. The country then introduced an executive president as the head of state. Since becoming a republic, The Gambia has been led by three presidents, who hold the highest authority in the government.
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Complete List Of Gambia Presidents From 1970 Till Date
No. | Name | Term of Office | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sir Dawda Jawara | 24 April 1970 – 22 July 1994 | PPP |
Military Rule | 22 July 1994 – 6 November 1996 | Military |
|
2 | Yahya Jammeh | 6 November 1996 – 19 January 2017 | APRC |
3 | Adama Barrow | 19 January 2017 – Incumbent | Coalition 2016 (until 2019), NPP |
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Who was the first president of the Gambia?
The first President of The Gambia was Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. Born on May 16, 1924, in Barajally, The Gambia, Jawara came from a Muslim family.
His father, Almami Jawara, was a trader. Jawara attended a Methodist boys’ school in Bathurst, now called Banjul, the capital of The Gambia. He went to the University of Glasgow in Scotland, and he studied to become a veterinary surgeon.
After graduating in 1953, he returned to The Gambia and worked as the principal veterinary officer. Jawara’s political career started in 1959, joining the Protectorate People’s Party, later renamed the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
His leadership helped the PPP win the 1962 elections, and he became Prime Minister. This position gave him the chance to lead the country to independence from British colonial rule on February 18, 1965.
In 1970, The Gambia became a republic, and Jawara was elected the first President. By 1990, most Gambian children were attending school, and the government built hospitals and clinics to improve healthcare.
However, in 1981, his government faced an attempted coup, which was stopped with Senegal’s help. Despite this, Jawara continued as President until July 22, 1994, when a bloodless coup led by Yahya Jammeh ended his presidency.
Jawara fled to Senegal and later lived in London. In 2002, Jawara returned to The Gambia and lived there until his death on August 27, 2019, at the age of 95.
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Who Is The Current President Of Gambia?
The current president of The Gambia is Adama Barrow, and he has been in office since January 19, 2017. He was re-elected for a second term in December 2021, winning about 53% of the vote.
His victory in 2021 was an important moment for the country, as it followed the long rule of former president Yahya Jammeh. Adama Barrow was born on February 16, 1965, in a village called Mankamang Kunda, in the Jimara District of The Gambia.
He went to school at Crab Island Secondary School and then at Muslim High School. Before he started his political career, Barrow worked in real estate, and he also spent some time in London working as a security guard.
Starting his political career, he joined the United Democratic Party (UDP), serving as the party’s treasurer. In 2016, Barrow was chosen to be the candidate for a political coalition to challenge the long-time president Yahya Jammeh.
Barrow ran on promises of reform, hoping to bring change to the country and rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations. After his victory in December 2016, Jammeh did not immediately accept the result and refused to leave office.
This led to Barrow being sworn in at the Gambian embassy in Senegal for safety reasons. Later, ECOWAS forces helped Jammeh leave power. Since Barrow took office, he has worked on several important issues.
He promised to improve the economy and make the country’s infrastructure better. Barrow also has plans for democratic reforms, such as creating a new constitution that would set term limits for future presidents.
He has also called for unity among the different political groups in The Gambia. In January 2022, Barrow was sworn in for his second term.
