Adama Barrow being sworn in as president
It has been revealed that following Barrow’s swearing in, hundreds of Gambians celebrated in the streets of Banjul, the capital.
They did it cautiously at first, and then gradually in larger numbers as they realised the security forces looking on were not going to open fire.
According to Premium Times, Army chief General Ousman Badjie, who had publicly stood by Jammeh, was seen smiling on the streets wading through a mass of jubilant Banjul residents shouting and dancing.
Cars raced up and down the highway lined with iron-roofed shops in the pro-Barrow Serrekunda district of Banjul, with horns honking and people hanging out the windows.
“The dictator is out,” shouted pharmacist Lamine Jao, 30, as others cheered and whistled in agreement. “It’s just a question of time. We’ll soon flush him out. Believe me.”
During the brief inauguration speech, Mr. Barrow asserted his new role as commander and chief of Gambia’s armed services, ordering soldiers to stay calm and remain in their barracks. Those who did not would be considered rebels, he said.
In a statement released late on Thursday, Mr. Jammeh announced he was dissolving his government – a 19-member Cabinet, half of whose members had already resigned – and pledged to name a new one “in due course.”
Fearing unrest, thousands of Gambians have fled in recent weeks, the United Nations estimates.
Tour companies, meanwhile, have rushed to evacuate hundreds of European tourists.
Gambia’s long, sandy beaches have made it a prime destination for tourists, but Jammeh, who once vowed to rule for “a billion years,” has earned a reputation for rights abuses and stifling dissent.
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