Massive Protest Rocks Gambia As Opposition Supporters Want Barrow To ‘Step Down’

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Thousands of The Gambian citizens have taken to the streets in protest after the December 4 presidential election result.

The election, contested by six candidates, was won by the incumbent president, Adama Barrow.

Mr Barrow, who contested the election under the flagship of the National People’s Party (NPP), polled 457, 519 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ousainou Darboe, of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Mr Darboe garnered 238, 253 votes.

Shortly before the declaration by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), It was reported that three opposition candidates rejected the election result.

Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Mama Kandeh of the Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) and Essa Faal, an independent candidate, all rejected the result on the grounds of late collation and the fact that their party agents “failed to sign”.

On Monday, a huge crowd of Mr Darboe’s supporters besieged the Kairaba Avenue Street where he resides.

While some marched to celebrate his ‘victory’, others wanted ‘justice’. They chanted ‘aye ji’, which literally translates to ‘step down’ in the Mandinka language.

“I want justice, I want Barrow to be removed from the State House right now,” said Jami Amfal, one of the supporters.

Other supporters spoke in similar tone.

“Ousainou Darboe won the election. We want Barrow to step down, we want another election,” said another agitated supporter.

African Examiner reports that dozens of The Gambian policemen have been deployed to the street to quell possible breakdown of law and order.