Over the weekend, former president Yahya Jammeh once again stirred the political waters with a prerecorded audio message announcing his imminent return to The Gambia in November of this year. As expected, reactions have been swift and divided.
President Adama Barrow dismissed the announcement as mere politics, while the minister of Information stated unequivocally that Jammeh would face prosecution should he set foot in the country. This development re-opens an old wound in the nation’s political and emotional landscape—one that has yet to fully heal.
Yahya Jammeh’s name remains synonymous with both development and division. To his loyalists, he is the leader who brought progress and restored national pride. To his victims and critics, however, he represents an era of oppression, fear, and impunity. His proposed return is not a simple homecoming; it is a challenge to the country’s justice system, to the rule of law, and to the political maturity of its citizens.
The government must tread carefully. Empty threats or politicised reactions could inflame tensions and give credence to Jammeh’s claim of persecution. At the same time, The Gambia cannot afford to allow impunity to go unchecked. The findings of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) clearly documented grave human rights abuses under Jammeh’s regime.
If he returns, the government must follow due process—ensuring that justice is pursued fairly and transparently, free from political interference or vendetta. This is more so when some people have been prosecuted for their part in some of the human rights violations under Jammeh.
For the nation, this is a moment of reckoning. The Gambia must show that it has matured beyond fear, revenge, or blind loyalty. The rule of law must prevail, not the rule of personalities. Whether Jammeh returns or not, the ultimate question is whether The Gambia is ready to confront its past with courage and integrity.
Government must take this seriously and act wisely to ensure that the peace and security of the country is not compromised.
