Supporters of former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh have appealed to international bodies and President Adama Barrow’s government to facilitate the ex-leader’s “peaceful and dignified” return from exile, reigniting debate over his controversial legacy and legal standing.
In a letter sent to the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS, a faction of Jammeh’s former party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), argued that his right to return home is enshrined in the Gambian constitution and protected under the 2017 regional agreement that ended the country’s political standoff after his electoral defeat.
The appeal comes a week after Jammeh announced plans to end his nine-year exile in Equatorial Guinea, where he has lived since stepping down under international pressure following the disputed 2016 election.
Jammeh’s supporters said his homecoming would be “peaceful and patriotic,” urging Gambians to prioritize reconciliation, unity, and stability.
The letter also dismissed findings of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) and the Janneh Commission, which documented serious abuses and alleged corruption under Jammeh’s rule, as “non-judicial,” arguing that their conclusions do not strip him of his rights as a citizen or former head of state.
The faction called on Gambian authorities and international partners to guarantee Jammeh’s constitutional protections, dignity, and security, in line with domestic law and the ECOWAS-AU-UN Joint Agreement.
They also expressed gratitude to the government of Equatorial Guinea for hosting Jammeh since 2017, describing their hospitality as “a gesture of African solidarity.”
Jammeh’s possible return has rekindled national debate over justice, reconciliation, and accountability in The Gambia, a country still grappling with the legacy of his 22-year rule.
