Polygamous unions are legally recognized in the Gambia and have been said to be very prevalent. They are frequently considered by the older generations of Gambian men as an indicator of prosperity. [1] [2]
In 1795, Mungo Park observed that "every man of free condition has a plurality of wives". He noted that it is necessary for each wife to be accommodated in their own hut. [3]
Adama Barrow, the current president of the Gambia, has two wives. [4] His predecessor, Yahya Jammeh, had two wives at one point in time, but divorced his third wife under pressure from his second wife (whom he had married after divorcing his first wife). [5]
The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland Africa and is surrounded by Senegal, except for its western coast on the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia is situated on both sides of the lower reaches of The Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the centre of The Gambia and empties into the Atlantic Ocean, and elucidates the long shape of the country. It has an area of 11,300 square kilometres (4,400 sq mi) with a population of 1,857,181 as of the April 2013 census. Banjul is The Gambian capital and the country's largest metropolitan area, while the largest cities are Serekunda and Brikama.
Politics of The Gambia takes place within the framework of a 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 parliaments.
Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is a Gambian politician and former military officer who was the leader of The Gambia from 1994 to 2017, firstly as chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 1994 to 1996 and then as President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017.
The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) is a political party in The Gambia. Founded by army officers who staged 1994 coup, it was the ruling party from 1996 to 2016 under President Yahya Jammeh.
Halifa Sallah is a retired Gambian politician and former National Assembly member for Serrekunda Constituency. He currently serves as the secretary-general of the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). He served as a spokesman and advisor to President Adama Barrow from during the 2016 presidential election campaign until March 2017.
Ousainou Darboe is a Gambian politician and lawyer who serves as the National Assembly Minority Leader since April 2022. He previously served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's Affairs from June 2018 to March 2019, under President Adama Barrow. He also served as Barrow's Minister of Foreign Affairs from February 2017 to June 2018.
Hamat Ngai Kumba Bah is a Gambian politician who is the current Minister of Tourism and Culture in President Adama Barrow's cabinet. He is also the leader of the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) and has been a presidential candidate in 1996, 2001 and 2011. He was the National Assembly Member for Upper Saloum from 1997 to 2005.
Presidential elections were held in The Gambia on 1 December 2016. In a surprise result, opposition candidate Adama Barrow defeated long-term incumbent Yahya Jammeh. The election marked the first change of presidency in The Gambia since a military coup in 1994, and the first transfer of power by popular election since independence from the United Kingdom in 1965.
Adama Barrow is a Gambian politician and real estate developer who has served as President of the Gambia since 2017.
The Gambian constitutional crisis occurred following presidential elections in December 2016, in which challenger Adama Barrow achieved an upset victory over longtime incumbent Yahya Jammeh. It eventually concluded after a military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led to Jammeh’s departure from the country.
The ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia or the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia – initially code-named Operation Restore Democracy – is an ongoing military intervention in The Gambia by several member states of the Economic Community of West African States.
Teneng Mba Jaiteh is a Gambian politician who serves as Gambia's ambassador to the European Union as well as 7 of its member states.
Ousman Badjie was the Chief of the Defence Staff and of the Army of the Gambia, and Lieutenant-General in the Gambian Army, having succeeded Masaneh Kinteh to the position. He was removed from his position in March 2017.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2337 was a measure unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 19 January 2017. It expressed support for efforts by ECOWAS to peacefully resolve the 2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis, calling on President Yahya Jammeh to step down and allow a peaceful transition to the President-elect, Adama Barrow, as well as supporting the African Union and ECOWAS decisions in recognizing Adama Barrow as the new president. The measure was adopted by a vote of 15 supporting, none opposed, and none abstained.
The following lists events in the year 2017 in the Gambia.
Momodou Alieu Bah is a former Gambian senior army officer, who served as Yahya Jammeh's last Minister of the Interior. Bah served as Minister of the Interior from 19 September 2016 to 18 January 2017, when he resigned as a result of the constitutional crisis.
Human rights in the Gambia have been considered poor under Yahya Jammeh. In December, 2016, he lost an election to Adama Barrow, who promised to improve human rights in his country. The "Freedom in the World" report for 2018 ranked the Gambia as "partly free". LGBT activity is illegal, and punishable with life imprisonment.
Mamadou Tangara is a Gambian diplomat and politician who has served as Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2018, having previously served in 2012 and from 2010–2012. Tangara also served as Gambian Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2017–2018 and from 2013–2016.
The First Lady of the Gambia is the official title of the wife of the President or Head of State of The Gambia. Since January 19, 2017, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow has been First Lady.
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, also spelled Fatoumata, is the first wife of Gambian President Adama Barrow and the First Lady of the Gambia since 2017.