Politics of the Gambia
As part of the transition process, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) established the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) through decree in March 1995.
In accordance with the timetable for the transition to a democratically elected government, the commission drafted a new constitution for The Gambia which was approved by referendum in August 1996.
[1] The 1994 military coup led to the semi-authoritarian regime of Yahya Jammeh who held power until he was defeated at the ballot box in 2016–2017.
The People's Progressive Party (PPP) project preparation plan, headed by former president Jawara, had dominated Gambian politics for nearly 30 years.
The legislative elections held in January 1997 were dominated by the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC, the new incarnation of AFPRC), which captured 33 out of 45 seats.
Four registered opposition parties participated in the 18 October 2001 presidential election, which the incumbent, President Yahya Jammeh, won with almost 53% of the votes.
The APRC maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly in legislative elections held in January 2002, particularly after the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.In 2005 the political scenario was changed, as five opposition parties united under the umbrella of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD).
It is doubtful whether the full truth will ever be known, however, as anyone with any evidence would not be likely to come forward with it in light of the poor human rights record of the National Intelligence Agency, and their well-known penchant for torturing and detaining indefinitely anyone who speaks up against the Government.
These reports follow a widely publicised signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and Opposition parties, initiated by the Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo during a recent visit to the country.
[4] Jammeh, who had ruled for 22 years, first announced he would step down after losing the 2016 election before declaring the results void and calling for a new vote, sparking a constitutional crisis and leading to an invasion by an ECOWAS coalition.
[8] West Coast Air Limited contested the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority's rulings in this matter, claiming that several of the decisions were illegal and harmful to their company's operations.
This case emphasizes the intricate relationship that exists between corporate interests and regulatory bodies, as well as the value of judicial supervision in guaranteeing the impartiality and constitutionality of administrative decisions.
