| Chief of the Defence Staff | |
|---|---|
 | |
since 5 March 2020 | |
| Appointer | President of the Gambia following consultation with the National Security Council |
| Formation | 1997 |
| First holder | Baboucarr Jatta |
| Website | Official website |
The Chief of the Defence Staff in the Gambia is the head of the Gambia Armed Forces, and is appointed by the President.
The Chief of the Defence Staff is responsible for the operational control and administration of the Gambia Armed Forces, according to Section 188 (1) of the Constitution of the Gambia. The Chief of the Defence Staff has a permanent place on the National Security Council, authorised by Section 78 of the constitution, and on the Armed Forces Council, authorised by Section 189 of the constitution. In order to appoint or dismiss a Chief of the Defence Staff, the President must first consult with the National Security Council. [1]
| No. | Portrait | Chief of the Defence Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colonel Baboucarr Jatta | 1999 | 2004 | 4–5 years |  Gambian National Army | – | |
| 2 | Lieutenant Colonel Vincent Jatta | 2004 | 2004 | 0 years | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 3 | Colonel Assan Sarr | 2004 | 2005 | 0–1 years | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 4 | Colonel Ndure Cham | 2005 | 2006 | 0–1 years | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 5 | Major General Lang Tombong Tamba (born 1965) | 2006 | 2009 | 2–3 years | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 6 | Lieutenant General Masaneh Kinteh (born 1968) | 9 October 2009 | 6 July 2012 | 2 years, 271 days | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 7 | Lieutenant General Ousman Badjie (born 1967) | 6 July 2012 | 17 February 2017 | 4 years, 226 days | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 8 | Lieutenant General Masaneh Kinteh (born 1968) | 17 February 2017 | 5 March 2020 | 3 years, 17 days | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 9 | Lieutenant General Yankuba Drammeh (born 1963) | 5 March 2020 | 29 September 2023 | 3 years, 208 days | Gambian National Army | – | |
| 10 | Lieutenant General Mamat O.A Cham | 29 Sept 2023 | Incumbent | 4 years, 263 days | Gambian National Army | – |
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