Jammeh Urges Gambians to Reject Tribalism, Embrace Shared National Identity

By Fatou Sillah

Former President Yahya Jammeh has warned Gambians against tribalism and regional divisions, describing ethnic politics as a threat to national unity, peace and development.

In a recorded message played at a rally organized by the No to Alliance Movement at the Buffer Zone, Mr. Jammeh urged citizens to rise above ethnic differences and embrace a shared national identity.

“My party has never been a party for a tribe. My party is a party for all citizens of this country that love development, rapid socioeconomic development, equality, and total eradication of poverty, backwardness, and insecurity,” he said.

The former president maintained that national development should benefit all Gambians, regardless of their ethnic or regional backgrounds, warning that divisions along tribal lines could undermine the country’s stability.

“If we are tribes, that is a recipe for disaster,” he cautioned.

Mr. Jammeh also called for collective efforts to safeguard The Gambia’s independence and ensure that the country’s natural resources are used to improve living standards.

Outlining his vision for the country, he said the Gambia should aspire to international recognition not through military power but through peace, freedom, humanity, and economic prosperity.

He urged Gambians to work together toward eliminating hunger, poverty, and insecurity, insisting that the pursuit of these goals remained unfinished.

Mr. Jammeh has lived in exile in Equatorial Guinea since January 2017, following his defeat in the December 2016 presidential election. He initially accepted the results before reversing his position, triggering a political crisis that prompted intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The regional bloc subsequently deployed troops under the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), which has maintained a presence in the country since his departure.

Despite nearly a decade in exile, Mr. Jammeh continues to command significant loyalty among sections of his former political base.