List of heads of state of the Gambia
This is a list of the heads of state of The Gambia, from the independence of The Gambia in 1965 to the present day.
From 1965 to 1970 the head of state under the Gambia Independence Act 1964 was the Queen of The Gambia, Elizabeth II, who was also the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Queen was represented in The Gambia by a Governor-General. The Gambia became a republic in 1970 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by an executive President.
Monarch (1965–1970)[change]
The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.
| № | Monarch
(Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Reign | Royal House | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reign start | Reign end | Time in Office | |||||
| 1 | Queen Elizabeth II
(1926–2022) |
File:Queen Elizabeth II in March 2015.jpg | 18 February 1965 | 24 April 1970 | 5 years,
66 days |
Windsor | Jawara |
Governor-General[change]
The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in The Gambia and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of The Gambia without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
- Status
| № | Governor-General
(Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Tenure | Monarch | Prime Minister | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in Office | |||||
| 1 | Sir John Paul(1916–2004) | File:No image.png | 18 February 1965 | 9 February 1966 | 356 days | Elizabeth II | Jawara |
| 2 | Sir Farimang Mamadi Singateh(1912–1977) | File:No image.png | 9 February 1966 | 24 April 1970 | 4 years
75 days |
Elizabeth II | Jawara |
| Political affiliation
(at time of appointment) | |
|---|---|
| People's Progressive Party | |
| chairman National Revolutionary Council, in rebellion | |
| People's Progressive Party | |
| Military | |
|---|---|
| Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council | |
| Political affiliation
(at time of appointment) | |
|---|---|
| Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction | |
| United Democratic Party | |
President[change]
The President of the Republic of the Gambia is the head of state and head of government of the Gambia. The president leads the executive branch of the government of the Gambia and is the commander-in-chief of the Military of the Gambia. The post was created in 1970, when the Gambia became a republic and has been held by three people: Dawda Jawara, who ruled from 1970 until 1994, Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a bloodless coup that year and Adama Barrow, who defeated Jammeh in elections held in December 2016.[1]
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President Candidates[change]
Nominations were accepted between 30 October and 5 November. From twenty-one nominees, six candidates were approved to run by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC):
| Name | Party | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Adama Barrow | National People's Party (NPP) | Incumbent President (2017-present) |
| Ousainou Darboe | United Democratic Party (UDP) | Former Vice President (2018-2019) |
| Essa M. Faal | Independent | Chief Prosecutor of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (2018-present) |
| Mama Kandeh | Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) | MP in Pan-African Parliament |
| Abdoulie Ebrima Jammeh | National Union Party (NUP) | Former Director General of The Gambia Civil Aviation Authority[2] |
| Halifa Sallah | People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) | Special Advisor to the President on Governance (2017), National Assembly Minority Leader (2002-2007) |
Vice president[change]
| # | Name
(Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheriff Mustapha Dibba
(1937–2008) |
1970 | 1972 | PPP |
| 2 | Assan Musa Camara
(1923–2013) |
1972 | 1977 | PPP |
| 3 | Alieu Badara Njie
(1904–1982) |
1977 | 1981 | PPP |
| 2 | Assan Musa Camara
(1923–2013) |
1981 | May 1982 | PPP |
| 4 | Bakary Bunja Darbo
(born 1946) |
12 May 1982 | 1992 | PPP |
| 5 | Saihou Sabally
(born 1947) |
1992 | 22 July 1994 | PPP |
| 6 | Edward Singateh | 1996 | 1997 | |
| 7 | Isatou Njie-Saidy
(born 1952) |
20 March 1997 | 18 January 2017
(Resigned) |
APRC |
| Fatoumata Tambajang
(born 1949) |
23 January 2017 | 9 November 2017 | UDP | |
| 8 | 9 November 2017 | 29 June 2018 | ||
| 9 | Ousainou Darboe
(born 1948) |
29 June 2018 | 15 March 2019 | UDP |
| 10 | Isatou Touray
(born 1955) |
15 March 2019 | 4 May 2022 | Independent |
| 11 | Badara Joof
(1955–2023) |
4 May 2022 | 17 January 2023[†] | Independent |
| Vacant (17 January – 24 February 2023) | ||||
| 12 | Muhammad B. S. Jallow | 24 February 2023 | Incumbent | Independent |
- Edward Singateh, designated vice president in 1996,
Related pages[change]
- List of colonial governors of the Gambia
- List of heads of government of the Gambia
- Lists of rulers in the Gambia
- Lists of office-holders
References[change]
- ↑ Wiseman, John A. (2004) Africa South of the Sahara 2004 (33rd edition): The Gambia: Recent History, Europa Publications Ltd. p. 456.
- ↑ "NUP Has No Problem With NPP/APRC Alliance - Party Leader". Africa News. 14 September 2021.
- Guinness Book of Kings, Rulers & Statesmen, Clive Carpenter, Guinness Superlatives Ltd
- African States and Rulers, John Stewart, McFarland