Gambia&#39;s National Assembly has passed a resolution to allow Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to stay in office for three months from Wednesday, state television said.

Jammeh lost an election in December to opposition leader Adama Barrow and is due to hand over power on Thursday, but the veteran leader has declared a state of emergency and says he will not step down before a court hears his election challenge.

The declaration was necessary, he said on state television, after the &quot;unprecedented and extraordinary amount of foreign interference in the December 1 presidential elections and also in the internal affairs of The Gambia.&quot;

The 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) has repeatedly called on Jammeh to respect the result of the vote he lost to opponent Adama Barrow and step aside, backed up by the United Nations Security Council, African Union and several other institutions.

Jammeh said foreign powers had created an &quot;unwarranted hostile atmosphere, threatening the sovereignty, peace, security and stability of the country,&quot; forcing him to act.

Under the Gambian constitution, a state of emergency lasts seven days if the president declares it unilaterally but up to 90 days if the national assembly confirms it, which has not yet happened.

The terms of the declaration were left vague by Jammeh and seemed to correspond to laws already in place in a nation where human rights abuses are rife.

All citizens and residents were &quot;banned from any acts of disobedience to the laws of The Gambia, incitement to violence and acts intended to disturb public order and peace,&quot; Jammeh said.

He then asked the security forces to maintain law and order.

The move will be dimly viewed by the international community as Jammeh&#39;s mandate runs out, but the president has shown little interest in diplomacy after rebuffing two high-level delegations by west African leaders in recent weeks pleading with him to go.

String of resignations

Meanwhile, four more cabinet ministers in Jammeh&#39;s government defected, a source close to the regime told AFP on Tuesday, while citizens stream out of the country in fear of unrest.

Foreign minister Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, finance minister Abdou Kolley, trade minister Abdou Jobe and tourism minister Benjamin Roberts had all resigned, the source said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons.

Roberts was appointed to replace Kolley on Monday, meaning he spent less than 24 hours in the new post, local media said.

The latest resignations came after the high-profile defection last week of information minister Sheriff Bojang, who is now sheltering in neighbouring Senegal.

Citizens continued to pack their bags and stream out of Banjul by road and ferry for Senegal, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, taking as many possessions as they could carry.

One traveller told AFP that those arriving at 10:00 am would have to wait until the following day to board a ferry at Banjul port to cross the river headed for Senegal, unless they bribed officials, due to huge numbers exiting the city.

The UN&#39;s refugee agency has said several thousand Gambians have crossed the border in the last few weeks to shelter with extended family while they await January 19, when Jammeh is due to hand over power.

Barrow is in Senegal, where he plans to remain until his planned inauguration on Thursday.&nbsp;

Asylum offer

The spectre of a military intervention in The Gambia now seems closer than ever, following declarations by the United Nations and the&nbsp;African Union that boots on the ground could get the green light without a rapid resolution to the crisis.

Fears of conflict were ramped up in Banjul following the weekend arrest of soldiers suspected of being sympathetic to Barrow, underlining significant disagreement within the armed forces over whom they will support come Thursday.

Elsewhere Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hit out at Jammeh for broadcasting a conversation they held by phone on Sunday on Gambian television without her knowledge.

&quot;Unfortunately, being the person that he is, Jammeh recorded and televised their conversation without advising her of his intent to do so,&quot; a statement from the Liberian presidency said.

Sirleaf was then quoted as saying that as of Monday &quot;there is no change in ECOWAS position. The Constitution of The Gambia must be respected.&quot;

In Rabat, it was reported that Morocco had offered Jammeh asylum for accepting the election defeat and stepping down &quot;in return for a golden retirement&quot;, but Banjul sources were reluctant to confirm the claim.

And in a growing sign of Jammeh&#39;s hostility to international scrutiny, seven journalists from China, Sweden and Senegal were expelled late Monday soon after they arrived at Banjul airport to cover the ongoing crisis.&nbsp;

(AFP)

He has declared a state of emergency and says he will not step down before a court hears his election challenge

Gambia's National Assembly has passed a resolution to allow Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to stay in office for three months from Wednesday, state television said. Jammeh lost an election in December to opposition leader Adama Barrow and is due to hand over power on Thursday, but the veteran leader has declared a state of emergency and says he will not step down before a court hears his election challenge. The declaration was necessary, he said on state television, after the "unprecedented and extraordinary amount of foreign interference in the December 1 presidential elections and also in the internal affairs of The Gambia." The 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) has repeatedly called on Jammeh to respect the result of the vote he lost to opponent Adama Barrow and step aside, backed up by the United Nations Security Council, African Union and several other institutions. Jammeh said foreign powers had created an "unwarranted hostile atmosphere, threatening the sovereignty, peace, security and stability of the country," forcing him to act. Under the Gambian constitution, a state of emergency lasts seven days if the president declares it unilaterally but up to 90 days if the national assembly confirms it, which has not yet happened. The terms of the declaration were left vague by Jammeh and seemed to correspond to laws already in place in a nation where human rights abuses are rife. All citizens and residents were "banned from any acts of disobedience to the laws of The Gambia, incitement to violence and acts intended to disturb public order and peace," Jammeh said. He then asked the security forces to maintain law and order. The move will be dimly viewed by the international community as Jammeh's mandate runs out, but the president has shown little interest in diplomacy after rebuffing two high-level delegations by west African leaders in recent weeks pleading with him to go. String of resignations Meanwhile, four more cabinet ministers in Jammeh's government defected, a source close to the regime told AFP on Tuesday, while citizens stream out of the country in fear of unrest. Foreign minister Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, finance minister Abdou Kolley, trade minister Abdou Jobe and tourism minister Benjamin Roberts had all resigned, the source said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. Roberts was appointed to replace Kolley on Monday, meaning he spent less than 24 hours in the new post, local media said. The latest resignations came after the high-profile defection last week of information minister Sheriff Bojang, who is now sheltering in neighbouring Senegal. Citizens continued to pack their bags and stream out of Banjul by road and ferry for Senegal, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, taking as many possessions as they could carry. One traveller told AFP that those arriving at 10:00 am would have to wait until the following day to board a ferry at Banjul port to cross the river headed for Senegal, unless they bribed officials, due to huge numbers exiting the city. The UN's refugee agency has said several thousand Gambians have crossed the border in the last few weeks to shelter with extended family while they await January 19, when Jammeh is due to hand over power. Barrow is in Senegal, where he plans to remain until his planned inauguration on Thursday. Asylum offer The spectre of a military intervention in The Gambia now seems closer than ever, following declarations by the United Nations and the African Union that boots on the ground could get the green light without a rapid resolution to the crisis. Fears of conflict were ramped up in Banjul following the weekend arrest of soldiers suspected of being sympathetic to Barrow, underlining significant disagreement within the armed forces over whom they will support come Thursday. Elsewhere Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hit out at Jammeh for broadcasting a conversation they held by phone on Sunday on Gambian television without her knowledge. "Unfortunately, being the person that he is, Jammeh recorded and televised their conversation without advising her of his intent to do so," a statement from the Liberian presidency said. Sirleaf was then quoted as saying that as of Monday "there is no change in ECOWAS position. The Constitution of The Gambia must be respected." In Rabat, it was reported that Morocco had offered Jammeh asylum for accepting the election defeat and stepping down "in return for a golden retirement", but Banjul sources were reluctant to confirm the claim. And in a growing sign of Jammeh's hostility to international scrutiny, seven journalists from China, Sweden and Senegal were expelled late Monday soon after they arrived at Banjul airport to cover the ongoing crisis. (AFP)

Gambia's Jammeh can stay in office for three months: National assembly

The Gambia&#39;s opposition coalition vowed Friday to ensure that president-elect Adama Barrow is sworn in in January, despite President Yahya Jammeh threatening to hold on to power unless the Supreme Court orders him to step down.

Barrow &quot;is confident that he has won an election and he is confident that there is no court on this earth that will deliver judgement to the contrary,&quot; opposition spokesman Halifa Sallah told reporters in the capital Banjul.

&quot;We will not speculate on what the court will do ... What we are telling the Gambian people is: &#39;Focus your mind on the fact that president-elect Adama Barrow won an election and he will be inaugurated in January 19,&quot; he added.

Jammeh, who has been in power for 22 years, stunned observers by initially accepting his defeat in the December 1 vote by opposition candidate Barrow, but then flip-flopped a week later, rejecting the results and filing a court challenge. His stance has stoked international concerns about the future of the tiny west African country, with the UN joining African leaders in calling for him to step down.

&quot;Unless the court decides the case, there will be no inauguration (of Barrow) on the 19 January,&quot; Jammeh said in a lengthy television address this week, referring to his petition to the Supreme Court to overturn the election result.

According to Sallah, Jammeh&#39;s statement showed he had no intention to relinquish power in January. He also recalled efforts by the west African bloc ECOWAS -- which have also come under fire by Jammeh -- to ensure a peaceful transition of power.

Leaders of ECOWAS -- including Senegal, which surrounds the landlocked country save its coastal border -- said at the weekend they would attend Barrow&#39;s inauguration and &quot;take all necessary actions to enforce the results&quot;, without spelling out what those measures might be.

Under Jammeh&#39;s long rule, The Gambia has remained crushingly poor but enjoyed relative stability -- though rights groups and media watchdogs accuse him of cultivating a climate of fear and crushing dissent.

(AFP)

President Yahya Jammeh has threatened to hold on to power unless the Supreme Court orders him to step down

The Gambia's opposition coalition vowed Friday to ensure that president-elect Adama Barrow is sworn in in January, despite President Yahya Jammeh threatening to hold on to power unless the Supreme Court orders him to step down. Barrow "is confident that he has won an election and he is confident that there is no court on this earth that will deliver judgement to the contrary," opposition spokesman Halifa Sallah told reporters in the capital Banjul. "We will not speculate on what the court will do ... What we are telling the Gambian people is: 'Focus your mind on the fact that president-elect Adama Barrow won an election and he will be inaugurated in January 19," he added. Jammeh, who has been in power for 22 years, stunned observers by initially accepting his defeat in the December 1 vote by opposition candidate Barrow, but then flip-flopped a week later, rejecting the results and filing a court challenge. His stance has stoked international concerns about the future of the tiny west African country, with the UN joining African leaders in calling for him to step down. "Unless the court decides the case, there will be no inauguration (of Barrow) on the 19 January," Jammeh said in a lengthy television address this week, referring to his petition to the Supreme Court to overturn the election result. According to Sallah, Jammeh's statement showed he had no intention to relinquish power in January. He also recalled efforts by the west African bloc ECOWAS -- which have also come under fire by Jammeh -- to ensure a peaceful transition of power. Leaders of ECOWAS -- including Senegal, which surrounds the landlocked country save its coastal border -- said at the weekend they would attend Barrow's inauguration and "take all necessary actions to enforce the results", without spelling out what those measures might be. Under Jammeh's long rule, The Gambia has remained crushingly poor but enjoyed relative stability -- though rights groups and media watchdogs accuse him of cultivating a climate of fear and crushing dissent. (AFP)

Gambia opposition says 'no court' can cancel Barrow's win

The UN Security Council on Saturday urged Gambia&#39;s President Yahya Jammeh to accept the presidential election results and hand over power to president-elect Adama Barrow.

Jammeh accepted had defeat in a surprise move a day after the December 1 vote but rejected the results in a televised address on Friday.

The 15 council members called on Jammeh to &quot;respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia, as he did on December 2 2016, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow.&quot;

They urged him to &quot;carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process and they requested that the security of the president-elect Adama Barrow, and that of all Gambian citizen be fully ensured,&quot; news agency AFP reported.

Council members condemned Jammeh&#39;s call for a new election.

&quot;Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened,&quot; he said, condemning &quot;unacceptable errors&quot; on the part of electoral authorities in a statement broadcast on state television.

Jammeh claimed &quot;investigations&quot; had revealed that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots.

Senegal, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has requested a meeting to discuss the crisis, which could be held on Monday, diplomats said, AFP said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a peaceful transition of power &quot;n full respect of the will of the Gambian people as expressed in the election&quot;.&nbsp;

President-elect Barrow said Jammeh had no legal standing and urged him to accept the results on Saturday.

Barrow, a property developer and political unknown till six months back, comfortably won the Dec 1 election with 45.54 per cent. Barrow was chosen as the opposition leader by a group of political parties who have joined forces for the first time and won unprecedented popular support.

(With inputs from AFP)

Jammeh accepted defeat a day after the December 1 vote but rejected the results a week later and called for fresh elections

The UN Security Council on Saturday urged Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh to accept the presidential election results and hand over power to president-elect Adama Barrow. Jammeh accepted had defeat in a surprise move a day after the December 1 vote but rejected the results in a televised address on Friday. The 15 council members called on Jammeh to "respect the choice of the sovereign people of The Gambia, as he did on December 2 2016, and to transfer, without condition and undue delay, power to the President-elect, Mr Adama Barrow." They urged him to "carry out a peaceful and orderly transition process and they requested that the security of the president-elect Adama Barrow, and that of all Gambian citizen be fully ensured," news agency AFP reported. Council members condemned Jammeh's call for a new election. "Let me repeat: I will not accept the results based on what has happened," he said, condemning "unacceptable errors" on the part of electoral authorities in a statement broadcast on state television. Jammeh claimed "investigations" had revealed that numerous voters had not been able to cast their ballots. Senegal, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, has requested a meeting to discuss the crisis, which could be held on Monday, diplomats said, AFP said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for a peaceful transition of power "n full respect of the will of the Gambian people as expressed in the election". President-elect Barrow said Jammeh had no legal standing and urged him to accept the results on Saturday. Barrow, a property developer and political unknown till six months back, comfortably won the Dec 1 election with 45.54 per cent. Barrow was chosen as the opposition leader by a group of political parties who have joined forces for the first time and won unprecedented popular support. (With inputs from AFP)

UN Security Council urges President Jammeh to hand over power

Authorities in Gambia have sacked 27 government officials including ten permanent secretaries on suspicion of having fraudulently acquired official cars and other items, state television said on Tuesday. 
 
The officials are being investigated by the National Intelligence Agency, a government source said. 
 
President Yahya Jammeh has ruled Gambia, a small country almost encircled by Senegal, for two decades since seizing power in a bloodless coup. 
 
Gambia is due to hold elections in December, when Jammeh will run for a fifth term. 
 
(Reuters)

They were suspected of having fraudulently acquired official cars and other items. Ten permanent secretaries have also been suspended

Authorities in Gambia have sacked 27 government officials including ten permanent secretaries on suspicion of having fraudulently acquired official cars and other items, state television said on Tuesday. The officials are being investigated by the National Intelligence Agency, a government source said. President Yahya Jammeh has ruled Gambia, a small country almost encircled by Senegal, for two decades since seizing power in a bloodless coup. Gambia is due to hold elections in December, when Jammeh will run for a fifth term. (Reuters)

Gambia sacks 27 government officials accused of corruption

Gambian authorities have acknowledged that prominent opposition activist Solo Sandeng died after his arrest in April, Human Rights Watch and the slain campaigner&#39;s lawyer said on Friday. 
 
UN chief Ban Ki-moon had demanded an investigation into the reported death of Sandeng, a senior figure in the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). 
 
He was detained after taking part in a rare demonstration calling for the resignation of President Yahya Jammeh. 
 
His death - which Amnesty International says came after he was tortured - sparked further protests and arrests. 
 
Human Rights Watch (HRW) told AFP that UDP sources and the party chief&#39;s lawyers confirmed the government had officially acknowledged the death in court. 
 
A lawyer for Sandeng&#39;s family confirmed the move, adding that it came in an affidavit as they seek to secure the return of his body. 
 
&quot;Even if he is dead, his body should be produced by the state,&quot; the lawyer said. 
 
In a copy of the affidavit seen by AFP, intelligence chief Saihou Omar Jeng acknowledges that Sandeng &quot;unfortunately lost his life&quot; during the &quot;process of arrest and detention&quot;. 
 
&quot;The government has accordingly set in motion an inquiry surrounding his death,&quot; it adds. 
 
Jim Wormington, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said this explanation was not good enough. 
 
&quot;The Gambian government&#39;s recognition that Solo Sandeng died during his arrest and detention is a first step in ensuring accountability for those responsible,&quot; he told AFP. 
 
&quot;But the government&#39;s explanation of the circumstances of Sandeng&#39;s death have so far been wholly inadequate.&quot; 
 
Jammeh, who came to power in a 1994 coup, rules the Gambia with an iron fist. 
 
His regime is regularly accused by rights groups of making opponents forcibly disappear. 
 
Last month he blasted the UN and Amnesty International for demanding an investigation into Sandeng&#39;s death, saying they could &quot;go to hell&quot;. 
(AFP)

Sandang's family seek return of his body, Human Rights Watch researcher says government's explanation is not good enough

Gambian authorities have acknowledged that prominent opposition activist Solo Sandeng died after his arrest in April, Human Rights Watch and the slain campaigner's lawyer said on Friday. UN chief Ban Ki-moon had demanded an investigation into the reported death of Sandeng, a senior figure in the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). He was detained after taking part in a rare demonstration calling for the resignation of President Yahya Jammeh. His death - which Amnesty International says came after he was tortured - sparked further protests and arrests. Human Rights Watch (HRW) told AFP that UDP sources and the party chief's lawyers confirmed the government had officially acknowledged the death in court. A lawyer for Sandeng's family confirmed the move, adding that it came in an affidavit as they seek to secure the return of his body. "Even if he is dead, his body should be produced by the state," the lawyer said. In a copy of the affidavit seen by AFP, intelligence chief Saihou Omar Jeng acknowledges that Sandeng "unfortunately lost his life" during the "process of arrest and detention". "The government has accordingly set in motion an inquiry surrounding his death," it adds. Jim Wormington, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, said this explanation was not good enough. "The Gambian government's recognition that Solo Sandeng died during his arrest and detention is a first step in ensuring accountability for those responsible," he told AFP. "But the government's explanation of the circumstances of Sandeng's death have so far been wholly inadequate." Jammeh, who came to power in a 1994 coup, rules the Gambia with an iron fist. His regime is regularly accused by rights groups of making opponents forcibly disappear. Last month he blasted the UN and Amnesty International for demanding an investigation into Sandeng's death, saying they could "go to hell". (AFP)

Gambia admits activist Solo Sandeng died in detention

Gambia has banned music, dancing and drumming during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on pain of being arrested,&nbsp;and people are complying, police said Monday. 
 
Ordinary citizens in the small west African country,&nbsp;whose president declared it an Islamic state in December,&nbsp;are being urged to report anyone seen engaging in the activities to authorities, said a spokesman. 
 
&quot;People are complying with the police order banning drumming and dancing during the month of Ramadan and so far no one has been arrested by the police for violating it,&quot; police spokesperson Lamin Njie told AFP. 
 
A police statement published last week warned that &quot;all ceremonies, festivities and programs that involve drumming, music and dance during the day or at night are prohibited&quot;. 
 
&quot;All those engaged in the practice are therefore warned to desist from such acts otherwise they will be eventually apprehended and face the full force of the law without compromise,&quot; the statement&nbsp;said. 
 
President Yahya Jammeh announced in December that Gambia had become an Islamic state, but stressed that the rights of the Christian minority would be respected and that women would not be held to a dress code. 
 
A few weeks later it emerged that female civil servants had been ordered to cover their hair at work, according a leaked government memo, although the presidency subsequently announced the measure had been dropped. 
 
An impoverished former British colony, famed for its white-sand beaches,&nbsp;Gambia has a population of nearly two million, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim. Of the remainder, eight per cent are Christian and two per cent are defined as having indigenous beliefs. 
 
Jammeh, 50, a military officer and former wrestler, has ruled the country with an iron fist since he seized power in a coup in 1994. 
 
Critics regularly accuse him of making unilateral decisions and controversial statements, notably about other countries, migrants and homosexuality. 
 
The next presidential election in Gambia, for which Jammeh is a candidate, is scheduled in December. 
 
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation announced in April that its next summit will be held in the Gambia, although a date has not yet been fixed. 
 
During the holy month of Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. 
(AFP)

President Jammeh made Islam the official state religion only this past December, but those who don't comply face 'full force of the law'

Gambia has banned music, dancing and drumming during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on pain of being arrested, and people are complying, police said Monday. Ordinary citizens in the small west African country, whose president declared it an Islamic state in December, are being urged to report anyone seen engaging in the activities to authorities, said a spokesman. "People are complying with the police order banning drumming and dancing during the month of Ramadan and so far no one has been arrested by the police for violating it," police spokesperson Lamin Njie told AFP. A police statement published last week warned that "all ceremonies, festivities and programs that involve drumming, music and dance during the day or at night are prohibited". "All those engaged in the practice are therefore warned to desist from such acts otherwise they will be eventually apprehended and face the full force of the law without compromise," the statement said. President Yahya Jammeh announced in December that Gambia had become an Islamic state, but stressed that the rights of the Christian minority would be respected and that women would not be held to a dress code. A few weeks later it emerged that female civil servants had been ordered to cover their hair at work, according a leaked government memo, although the presidency subsequently announced the measure had been dropped. An impoverished former British colony, famed for its white-sand beaches, Gambia has a population of nearly two million, 90 per cent of whom are Muslim. Of the remainder, eight per cent are Christian and two per cent are defined as having indigenous beliefs. Jammeh, 50, a military officer and former wrestler, has ruled the country with an iron fist since he seized power in a coup in 1994. Critics regularly accuse him of making unilateral decisions and controversial statements, notably about other countries, migrants and homosexuality. The next presidential election in Gambia, for which Jammeh is a candidate, is scheduled in December. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation announced in April that its next summit will be held in the Gambia, although a date has not yet been fixed. During the holy month of Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. (AFP)

Gambia bans music and dancing during Ramadan