Political Leaders: The Gambia

Leaders of The Gambia
(Republic of The Gambia)

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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website.

Note: From the accession to independence (18 Feb 1965) to the adoption of the Republic (24 Apr 1970) the head of State was the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a Governor-General.

Parties: APRC: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction - NPP: National People's Party - PPP: People's Progressive Party - UDP: United Democratic Party

Heads of State

Governors-General
John Warburton Paul      18 Feb 1965 -  9 Feb 1966 (†2004)
Farimang Mamadi Singateh  9 Feb 1966 - 24 Apr 1970 (†1977)

President of the Republic
Dawda Kairaba Jawara     24 Apr 1970 - 22 Jul 1994 (†2019) PPP (1)

Head of State
Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh    22 Jul 1994 - 18 Oct 1996         military (2)

Presidents of the Republic
Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh    18 Oct 1996 - 19 Jan 2017         APRC (3)
Adama Barrow             19 Jan 2017 -                     UDP, n/p, NPP (4)

(1) From 30 Jul 1981 to 5 Aug 1981 a National Revolutionary Council chaired by Kukli Samba Sanyang ruled in rebelion .
(2) Yahya Jammeh was chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (military junta) to 26 Jul 1994, when he adopted the title of head of State.
(3) Yahya Jammeh continued in charge as illegitimate president, with no international recognition, until his resignation and departure to exile on 21 Jan 2017.
(4) Legitimate president with international recognition, sworn in and installed in Dakar, Senegal. Adama Barrow returned to Banjul on 26 Jan 2017.

Prime Minister

Dawda Kairaba Jawara     12 Jun 1962 - 24 Apr 1970 (†2019) PPP

Vice Presidents of the Republic

Sheriff Mustapha Dibba   1970–1972 (†2008) PPP
Assan Musa Camara        1972-1977 (†2013) PPP
Alieu Badara Njie        1977-1978 (†1982) PPP
Assan Musa Camara        1978-1982 (†2013) PPP
Bakary Bunja Darbo       1982-1992         PPP
Saihou Sabally           1992-1994         PPP
 ** vacant **            1994-1997
Isatou Njie-Saidy        1997-2017         APRC
Fatoumata Tambajang      2017-2018         UDP
Ousainou Darboe          2018-2019         UDP
Isatou Touray            2019-2022         n/p
Badara Alieu Joof        2022-2023 (†2023) n/p
Muhammad B. S. Jallow    2023-             n/p