List of heads of state of the Gambia

(Redirected from President of the Gambia)

This is a list of the heads of state of The Gambia, from the independence of The Gambia in 1965 to the present day.

From 1965 to 1970 the head of state under the Gambia Independence Act 1964 was the Queen of The Gambia, Elizabeth II, who was also the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in The Gambia by a Governor-General. The Gambia became a republic in 1970 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by an executive President.

Monarch (1965–1970)

The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

Monarch

(Birth–Death)

Portrait Reign Royal House Prime Minister
Reign start Reign end Time in Office
1 Queen Elizabeth II

(1926–2022)

  18 February 1965 24 April 1970 5 years,

66 days

Windsor Jawara

Governor-General

The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in The Gambia and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of The Gambia without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.

Status

     Denotes Chief Justice acting as Officer Administering the Government

Governor-General

(Birth–Death)

Portrait Tenure Monarch Prime Minister
Took office Left office Time in Office
1 Sir John Paul(1916–2004)   18 February 1965 9 February 1966 356 days Elizabeth II Jawara
2 Sir Farimang Mamadi Singateh(1912–1977)   9 February 1966 24 April 1970 4 years

75 days

Elizabeth II Jawara
Political affiliation

(at time of appointment)

People's Progressive Party
chairman National Revolutionary Council, in rebellion
People's Progressive Party
Military
Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
Political affiliation

(at time of appointment)

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
United Democratic Party

President

The President of the Republic of the Gambia is the head of state and head of government of the Gambia. The president leads the executive branch of the government of the Gambia and is the commander-in-chief of the Military of the Gambia. The post was created in 1970, when the Gambia became a republic and has been held by three people: Dawda Jawara, who ruled from 1970 until 1994, Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a bloodless coup that year and Adama Barrow, who defeated Jammeh in elections held in December 2016.[1]

President

(Birth–Death)

Portrait Tenure Elected Political affiliation
Took office Left office
Gambia Colony and Protectorate (1961–1965)
1 Pierre Sarr N'Jie   14 March 1961 12 June 1962 1961 People's Progressive Party
2 Dawda Jawara   12 June 1962 18 February 1965 1965 People's Progressive Party
The Gambia (1965–1970)
3 Dawda Jawara   18 February 1965 24 April 1970 1965 People's Progressive Party
The Gambia
4 Sir Dawda Jawara   24 April 1970 31 July 1981

(deposed.)

1972

1977

People's Progressive Party
chairman National Revolutionary Council,

Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party

5 Kukoi Sanyang 30 July 1981 5 Aug 1981 chairman National Revolutionary Council, Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party
5 6 7 Kukoi Sanyang ,

Ousman Bojang ,

Gibril George

5 August 1981 5 August 1981 chairman National Revolutionary Council, Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party
The Gambia
8 Sir Dawda Jawara   5 August 1981 22 July 1994 (deposed.) 1982

1987

1992

People's Progressive Party
Military rule (1994–1996) coup d'état
Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council 22 July 1994 22 July 1994 Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
9 Colonel Yahya Jammeh   22 July 1994 18 October 1996 Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
Second Republic (1996–2006)
10 Yahya Jammeh   18 October 1996 18 October 2006 1996

2001 2006

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
11 Lang Tombong Tamba 18 October 2006 18 October 2006

(deposed.)

Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
Third Republic (2006 — 2014 )
12 Yahya Jammeh   18 October 2006 30 December 2014

(deposed.)

2006

2011

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
13 Colonel Yahya Jammeh ,

Ousman Badjie

30 December 2014 30 December 2014

(deposed.)

Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
14 Independent
Fourth Republic (2014 — 2017 )
15 Yahya Jammeh   30 December 2014 21 January 2017 (deposed.)

ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
2016–17 Gambian constitutional
16 Yahya Jammeh   9 December 2016   21 January 2017 Independent
17 Adama Barrow  
Five Republic (2017 — Incumbent)
18 Adama Barrow   19 January 2017 9 December 2023 2016 United Democratic Party
19 Sanna Fadera 9 December 2023 25 December 2023 Armed Forces
20 Adama Barrow 25 December 2023 Incumbent 2021 United Democratic Party

President Candidates

Nominations were accepted between 30 October and 5 November. From twenty-one nominees, six candidates were approved to run by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC):

Name Party Position
Adama Barrow National People's Party (NPP) Incumbent President (2017-present)
Ousainou Darboe United Democratic Party (UDP) Former Vice President (2018-2019)
Essa M. Faal Independent Chief Prosecutor of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (2018-present)
Mama Kandeh Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) MP in Pan-African Parliament
Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh National Union Party (NUP) Former Director General of The Gambia Civil Aviation Authority[2]
Halifa Sallah People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) Special Advisor to the President on Governance (2017), National Assembly Minority Leader (2002-2007)

Vice president

# Name

(Birth–Death)

Term of office Political party
1 Sheriff Mustapha Dibba

(1937–2008)

1970 1972 PPP
2 Assan Musa Camara

(1923–2013)

1972 1977 PPP
3 Alieu Badara Njie

(1904–1982)

1977 1981 PPP
2 Assan Musa Camara

(1923–2013)

1981 May 1982 PPP
4 Bakary Bunja Darbo

(born 1946)

12 May 1982 1992 PPP
5 Saihou Sabally

(born 1947)

1992 22 July 1994

(Deposed in a coup)

PPP
6 Edward Singateh 1996 1997
7 Isatou Njie-Saidy

(born 1952)

20 March 1997 18 January 2017

(Resigned)

APRC
Fatoumata Tambajang

(born 1949)

23 January 2017 9 November 2017 UDP
8 9 November 2017 29 June 2018
9 Ousainou Darboe

(born 1948)

29 June 2018 15 March 2019 UDP
10 Isatou Touray

(born 1955)

15 March 2019 4 May 2022 Independent
11 Badara Joof

(1955–2023)

4 May 2022 17 January 2023[†] Independent
Vacant (17 January – 24 February 2023)
12 Muhammad B. S. Jallow 24 February 2023 Incumbent Independent


See also

List Of Heads Of State Of The Gambia Media

References

  • Guinness Book of Kings, Rulers & Statesmen, Clive Carpenter, Guinness Superlatives Ltd
  • African States and Rulers, John Stewart, McFarland

External links

Other websites