The Gambia Prepares For First Post-Jammeh Election

Gambian voters will go to the polls on Saturday for a high-stakes presidential election - the first since the departure of former ruler Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 coup.

Mr Jammeh was defeated in 2016 by current President Adama Barrow, who is seeking re-election.

Campaigns formally began on 9 November and ended on Thursday, with the six candidates in the race for the top seat pledging to work for a peaceful vote.

The election is seen as a litmus test for the West African nation’s democratic transition.

Over 900,000 Gambians are eligible to vote in Saturday’s election using marbles.

President Barrow last week received a long-delayed government report on alleged abuses under Mr Jammeh’s 22-year rule.

He has promised to ensure justice for victims of human rights abuses.

The report sets the scene for a showdown between President Barrow and ex-President Jammeh, who have already abandoned a controversial pre-election deal their parties announced in September.

Mr Jammeh fled into exile in Equatorial Guinea following his shock defeat