Gambia: Ex-president Jammeh vows to return from exile

He is heard in a latest audio telling a member of his Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party of his intention to come back from exile.

In February this year there was tension in the Gambia among citizens over Yahya Jammeh‘s reported return from exile.

Several media reports suggested at the time that Jammeh has been spotted in Guinea heading to The Gambia.

The reports also indicated that his supporters had started cleaning his Kanilai home and farm in anticipation of his return.

But in a strongly worded statement, the Gambia Government said the misleading reports have caused tension in the West African country.

“Significantly, these baseless reports have provoked anxiety and tension among members of the public.

Equally, the misinformation has given rise to acts of deception particularly, among supporters of the former President, who have been terribly misled to believe in these fairy tales over the purported imminent return of former President Yahya Jammeh” the statement said.

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In the latest audio which had Jammeh speak to a party official, he said “It’s only the almighty Allah that can say only Yahya Jammeh’s dead body can come to Gambia. But by the grace of Allah, I am coming back.”

The former president in his conversation also lamented what he calls the lack of leadership by his successor President Adama Barrow.

He blamed President Barrow for the insecurity in the country amidst reports of increased cases of armed robberies and homicides.

“Allah is showing us that we deviated and abandoned our religion and religious leaders are afraid of telling the truth. Now people are dying worse than rats. Even frogs were safer under my government,” Jammeh said.

The former president assured that things will return to normalcy once he returns home but did not give details about his imminent return from exile.

Gambia’s government has assured citizens that ex-President Jammeh’s asylum in Equatorial Guinea is an ECOWAS/AU arrangement.

Under these arranged diplomatic circumstances, the host country is obligated to ensure that the former President remains in Equatorial Guinea until agreed and decided otherwise by the parties in consultation with The Gambia Government.

A statement from the government in February said Yahya Jammeh remains in Equatorial Guinea and rumours of his recent flight to Guinea Conakry as well as his planned return to The Gambia are meritless tales being peddled by detractors.