GAMBIA MARKS SPECIAL INDEPENDENCE

By Lamin Cham The Gambia returns to the glare of the world Saturday with the nation celebrating the 52nd Independence anniversary boxed with the inauguration of President Adama Barrow, the 3rd president of The Gambia. The event, which took over a month to prepare amid uncertainty as the political impasse persisted, has now reached fruition with an impressive gallery of events spread through from this evening to Saturday night and beyond. This evening President Adama Barrow will host a state dinner at the Senegambia Beach Hotel in honour of Gambia’s independence and the foreign dignitaries who will be arriving to grace the event. The first among those dignitaries and leaders expected will be President Macky Sall of Senegal whose country played an important role in facilitating not only the peaceful transfer of power in the Gambia but also in the overall successful staging of the event tomorrow. Sall is expected to land this evening while the rest of the presidents will jet in Saturday morning. The center of attraction is of course at the Independence Stadium where more than a dozen heads of state and foreign delegations from all over the world will gather to first witness the Gambia celebrate her 52 independence anniversary and then watch the inauguration of President Adama Barrow. These important events will be beamed across the world with more than 20 journalists accredited for the event. Musa Sise, a member of the inauguration committee, which planned the event, said the twinned event perhaps is the most significant event in the country’s history coming at a time of memorable chapter in the history of the Gambia. “The world is watching us move to another milestone in our history and this is a great feeling. I think Saturday is a national event rarely seen in our country,” he said. According Mr Sise, great efforts have been made to make the proceedings accessible to the Gambian people. “Those who cannot get to the Stadium will have the chance to watch the event on giant screens at various locations namely West field, Buffer Zone, McCarthy Square in Banjul, the second field in the stadium among other places,” he said. After the main event, the stadium will again be turned into a center point for an all night music jamboree.]]>