Former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, who has lived in exile for nearly a decade, has announced plans to return to his home country in November 2025, marking what could be a major turning point in Gambia’s post-authoritarian political landscape.
The announcement was made through audio messages sent to thousands of his loyalists who gathered in his hometown of Kanilai, in southern Gambia, to hear from the former leader.
Jammeh, who ruled the country for 22 years before being forced into exile in Equatorial Guinea in 2017, said he intends to return next month, though the exact date and time will be revealed by the interim leadership of his Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party.
The former president reiterated his longstanding claim that the 2016 election results, which brought current President Adama Barrow to power, were flawed, alleging that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) had declared “two different results.”
Jammeh also spoke of intense international pressure during his final days in office, citing involvement from ECOWAS, the European Union, the United Nations, and a former French president who, he claimed, recognized Barrow’s victory before the final outcome was settled.
Jammeh’s statement has sparked both anticipation and unease in The Gambia, where his potential return raises questions about national stability, accountability, and justice following years of alleged human rights abuses under his regime.
