A Feast of Democracy Ruined Zeinebou Bent Erebih | Al Jazeera Bureau Chief - Nouakchott
In a surprise news headline, unusual in Africa, a sitting president had after 22 years in power conceded the presidential election race. What was even more bizarre was that he had congratulated his opponent. It was December 1, 2016 when the opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeated long-term incumbent Yahya Jammeh in the Gambian elections, which marked the first change of presidency in the country since the 1994 military coup; and the first transfer of power by popular election since independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. Our team was deployed to Gambia during the first round of the election. On our way from the airport, the remains of ferocious election campaigns were clearly visible, from huge posters to logoed T-shirts. Going straight into the field, we spoke to people from all walks of life – labourers, undergraduates, activists, the unemployed, and businessmen. A wide political spectrum was represented in our news bulletins. Gambians had mixed feelings: some feared retaliation by the losing president who had held the reins of power for more than two decades; others thought such fears were unjustified.
We could not reach any of the ministers in Yahya Jammeh’s government or other state media representatives. They started by asking about our team members’ nationalities and when we had arrived, among other unnerving questions. Ultimately, without giving a reason, they refused to talk to Al Jazeera. I had an exclusive interview with the president- elect, Adama Barrow. He laid out his strategy for the “desired change,” as he phrased it. We covered the entire election and its outcomes; and began to schedule our return to cover the inauguration ceremony. However, unfolding events did not permit it. As we were checking out of the hotel, I saw Jammeh delivering a speech on a screen in the lobby. In it, he refused to accept the election results and pledged that new elections would soon be held. We were shocked as this feast of democracy was ruined. The Doha planning desk asked us to act with extreme caution and to keep them updated. Our next move was to contact Jammeh’s media officer. He promised to arrange an interview with a member of the government.
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