On The Gambia And Yahya Jammeh; Why Ecowas Must Be Cautious

It has become very complicated than imaginable, the brouhaha in the Gamabia over Yahya Jammeh's decision not to step down after haven lost an election. It is clear that, the mediators, thus, ECOWAS and other international bodies have lost all approaches, and have publicly stated in unequivocal terms, plans to resort to military intervention aimed at ousting the over twenty years old leader. This is wrong! The mediators must activate, with urgency, new diplomatic mechanisms, instead of engaging in fruitless immunity.

Yahya Jammeh, by all measure, isn't mean a leader to be ousted with ease, and any attempt to do this will only cause unimaginable innocent deaths, if not, plunge the country into a Libya-like situation. Such a system will not only be difficult for Adama Barrow to manage, but will pose so much security threat to neighboring countries, considering the fact that, the whole ECOWAS body is against Yahya Jammeh.

Yahya Jammeh is a radical military tyrant, and hides not his radical approach to getting things done. In an interview in 2011 with the BBC's Focus on Africa radio programme, Mr Jammeh categorically stated that, he did not fear a fate similar to Libya's killed leader Muammar Gaddafi or Egypt's ousted President Hosni Mubarak. "I will deliver to the Gambian people and if I have to rule this country for one billion years, I will, if Allah says so."(BBC)

Yahya Jammeh's ascension to power was by the support of the military, and consciously, he have the full support of the Gambia's military. As a radical military/civilian, he'll rather stay to fight and die in the soils of Gambia than to give in to threats of military interventions aimed at ousting him.

In my opinion, the regional body-ECOWAS had a rather wrong footing. Knowing very well Yahya Jammeh is alleging electoral malpractice, and have filed a case consciously at the country's Highest Court, the body's reps should have appealed for expedite hearing of his case, and as well appeal on him to accept any outcome, as was exampled in Ghana in 2013. With the help and support of ECOWAS, independent juries could've been appointed and tasked with definite time frame to hear Yahya Jammeh's case. Aside that, Yahya Jammeh could be promised international engagements, aimed at taming him, if the decision of the court does not end in his favor. This way, the radical Jammeh would've been cowed to give up power as soon as possible. ECOWAS could also ask Jammeh to make a choice as to which country within the body he will prefer to stay, in case he wishes not to stay in Gambia. And if he wish to stay, he should be assured of security and non-vendetta by the incoming Adama administration. This way, the Gambia will be saved destruction and innocent deaths.

Going forward, though far reached, ECOWAS must recall an emergency meeting to reconsider their decision of military intervention option, as well as, call on Adama Barrow to disengage in the illegality of swearing himself in as President. His decision, if allowed to pass thru, will not only need a military intervention to oust Jammeh, but a peace keeping mission to restore sanity.

The regional mediators must therefore thread with caution, and save another African country from avoidable mess.

Abdul-Mumin Sofo Yumzaa
Email: [email protected]