New Gambia president expected back in country by next week

Jan. 23 (UPI) -- After days of negotiations to convince his predecessor to leave, Gambia's new president, Adama Barrow, appointed a vice president Monday as troops secured the nation's capital ahead of his arrival.

Soldiers from several African countries, who entered Gambia to help push outgoing President Yahya Jammeh into exile, are preparing the presidential villa for Barrow to move in Saturday night, more than a week after he was sworn in. In the meantime, Barrow appointed Fatoumata Tambajang, a former minister of health, as his vice president.

Tambajang has spent several years serving in the Gambian government focused on children and health issues, and raised eyebrows when she said recently she wanted to prosecute Jammeh for his crimes against the country during the more than 20 years he ruled the country after taking it over in a military coup in 1994.

Barrow took the oath of office last Thursday at the Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, when Jammeh was still denying the legitimacy of the election and refused to leave.

In an inaugural address delivered to Gambians on television from the embassy, Barrow noted that his election is the first time since 1965 they country has had a turnover of power decided on the votes of citizens.

"This is a victory of the Gambian nation. Our national flag will now fly high among those of the most democratic nations of the world," Barrow said in the address. "Violent change is banished forever from the political life of our country. All Gambians are therefore winners. There is no loser in the Gambian election."

Although Barrow's victory happened in December, it took troops invading from several other African nations on behalf of Barrow to convince Jammeh to actually step down and leave -- two days after Barrow had already taken the oath of office.

There have been widespread reports Jammeh raided the nation's treasury and took millions of dollars of property with him when he left the presidential villa, including several cars, and as much as $11 million dollars. Barrow said, however, his administration would need to conduct a more full investigation once he arrived in the country before discussing the allegations.

The investigation into whether Jammeh looted the government on the way out is important to Gambians, who celebrated across the country after Barrow took the oath and soldiers crossed Gambia's borders to help install him.

"Yahya Jammeh came to power with nothing," 24-year-old seamstress Fatima Fanny Ceesay told The New York Times. "Everything he has, he stole from Gambians. They should not let him take anything with him apart from his clothes to put on. He is a big thief."