Politics of the Gambia
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2008-07-10T05:13:50Z
Atamari
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{{Politics of The Gambia}}
'''Politics of the Gambia''' takes place in a framework of a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of The Gambia]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and parliament.
The 1970 constitution of [[The Gambia]], which divided the government into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches, was suspended after the 1994 military coup. As part of the transition process, the [[Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council]] 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. The constitution provides for a strong presidential government, a unicameral legislature, an independent judiciary, and the protection of human rights.
== Political conditions ==
Before the coup d'état in July 1994, The Gambia was one of the oldest existing multi-party democracies in [[Africa]]. It had conducted freely contested elections every 5 years since independence. After the military coup, politicians from deposed [[Dawda Jawara|President Jawara]]'s People's Progressive Party (PPP) and other senior government officials were banned from participating in politics until July 2001.
The [[People's Progressive Party]] (PPP), headed by former president Jawara, had dominated Gambian politics for nearly 30 years. The last elections under the PPP regime were held in April 1992.
Following the coup, a presidential election took place in September 1996, in which retired Col. [[Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh]] won 56% of the vote. The legislative elections held in January 1997 were dominated by the [[Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction]] (the new incarnation of AFPRC), which captured 33 out of 45 seats. In July 2001, the ban on Jawara-era political parties and politicians was lifted. 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 of The Gambia|National Assembly]] in legislative elections held in January 2002, particularly after the main opposition [[United Democratic Party (The Gambia)|United Democratic Party]] (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.[[Image:1994gambiamemorial.jpg|thumb|right|Monument over the 1994 coup]]
In 2005 the political scenario was changed, as five opposition parties united under the umbrella of the [[National Alliance for Democracy and Development]]. NADD thus represented virtually all political opposition forces in the country. Following the registration of NADD the High Court ruled that dual party membership was unconstitutional, and as NADD had been registered as a political party all four opposition MPs were dismissed from the National Assembly. By-elections were held on [[September 29]], in which NADD retained three of the four seats. On [[November 15]] the same year, three high-ranking NADD leaders (including the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, [[Halifa Sallah]]) were arrested on the grounds of subversion.
On the 21st and[[22 March]] [[2006]], amid tensions preceding the 2006 presidential elections, an alleged planned military coup was uncovered. President [[Yahya Jammeh]] was forced to return from a trip to [[Mauritania]], many suspected army officials were arrested, and prominent army officials, including the army chief of staff, fled the country.
There are claims circulating that this whole event was fabricated by the President incumbent for his own devious purposes - however the veracity of these claims is not known, as no corroborating evidence has as yet been brought forward. 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.
The next presidential election took place on the 22nd September, 2006. The nominations for party Presidential candidates were held on the 28th August, 2006, amid reports of the Government intimidating and unfairly detaining Opposition members and sympathisers, and of using the machineries of state (including the national media arm of the Government, [[GRTS]]), to gain an unfair advantage during political campaigns. These reports follow a widely publicised signing of a Meromandum of Understanding between the Government and Opposition parties, initiated by the Nigerian President [[Olusegun Obasanjo]] during a recent visit to the country. Incumbent president, Yahya Jammeh, was reelected.
== Executive branch ==
{{office-table}}
|[[Heads of State of the Gambia|President]]
|[[Yahya Jammeh]]
|
|[[12 October]] [[1996]]
|}
The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted. He appoints the members of the Cabinet.
== Legislative branch ==
The [[National Assembly of The Gambia|National Assembly]] has 53 members, 48 members elected for a five year term and 4 members appointed.
Gambia is a [[one party dominant state]] with the [[Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction]] in power. [[Opposition (politics)|Opposition]] [[political parties|parties]] are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.
== Judicial branch ==
Supreme Court
== Political parties and elections ==
{{elect|List of political parties in The Gambia|Elections in The Gambia}}
{{Gambian parliamentary election, 2007}}
{{Gambian presidential election, 2006}}
In August 1996 the government banned the following from participation in the elections of 1996: the People's Progressive Party or PPP [former President Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties - the National Convention Party or NCP [former Vice President Sheriff DIBBA] and the Gambian People's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa CAMARA].
== Administrative divisions ==
Local government in The Gambia varies. The capital city, [[Banjul]], has an elected town council. Five rural divisions exist (Lower River, Central River, North Bank, Upper River, Western), each with a council containing a majority of elected members. Each council has its own treasury and is responsible for local government services. Tribal chiefs retain traditional powers authorized by customary law in some instances.
== International organization participation ==
The Gambia is member of
[[African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States|ACP]],
[[African Development Bank|AfDB]],
[[Commonwealth of Nations|C]],
[[Customs Cooperation Council|CCC]],
[[Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]],
[[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]],
[[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]],
[[Group of 77|G-77]],
[[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]],
[[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]],
[[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]],
[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]],
[[International Development Association|IDA]],
[[Islamic Development Bank|IDB]],
[[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]],
[[International Finance Corporation|IFC]],
[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]],
[[International Labour Organization|ILO]],
[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]],
[[International Maritime Organization|IMO]],
[[Intelsat]] (nonsignatory user),
[[International Criminal Police Organization|Interpol]],
[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]],
[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]],
[[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]],
[[Organization of African Unity|OAU]],
[[Organization of the Islamic Conference|OIC]],
[[Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]],
[[United Nations|UN]],
[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]],
[[United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization|UNESCO]],
[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]],
[[Universal Postal Union|UPU]],
[[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]],
[[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]],
[[World Health Organization|WHO]],
[[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]],
[[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]],
[[World Tourism Organization|WToO]],
[[World Trade Organization|WTrO]]
{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}
[[Category:Politics of The Gambia]]
[[fr:Politique de la Gambie]]
[[es:Gobierno y política de Gambia]]