Media

Africa, Media

Gambian president has a go at journalists

Gambian president has a go at journalists

Last week president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, gave journalists yet another one of his strongly-worded messages. In short: media freedoms will be curtailed for the good of development. He doesn't seem to notice, or care, about the false binary his remarks imply. By THERESA MALLINSON.

On Friday Yahya Jammeh, president of The Gambia, was re-elected for a fourth term. He rose to power in a 1994 coup, which means he’s been in charge for 17 years – and since he’s only 46 years old, it doesn’t look as if he’s going to cede his office willingly for many years to come.

Like all good dictators, Jammeh is no fan of the media, and has enacted a series of repressive media laws during his time in office. No surprise then, that this election period he was on the offensive against journalists. Jammeh addressed reporters after casting his vote on Thursday, and used the opportunity to attack his country’s media.

“They talk about rights, human rights, and freedom of the press, and (say that) this country is a hell for journalists. There are freedoms and responsibilities. The journalists are less than 1% of the population, and if anybody expects me to allow less than 1% of the population to destroy 99%, you are in the wrong place” he reportedly said. “In 17 years, I have delivered more development than the British were able to deliver in 400 years. No Western country can tell me about democracy.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemned Jammeh’s words. “We are appalled by President Yahya Jammeh’s use of scornful and contemptuous language to publicly intimidate the weakened Gambian media into further self-censorship while offering Gambians a false choice between press freedom and development,” said CPJ Africa advocacy coordinator Mohamed Keita. “Jammeh must immediately retract these statements, which endanger journalists in a country where attacks on media houses and murders of journalists remain unpunished.” Unfortunately, we doubt he’ll take much notice. DM



Photo: REUTERS

Gallery

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options

Become a Maverick Insider

This could have been a paywall

On another site this would have been a paywall. Maverick Insider keeps our content free for all.

Become an Insider

Every seed of hope will one day sprout.

South African citizens throughout the country are standing up for our human rights. Stay informed, connected and inspired by our weekly FREE Maverick Citizen newsletter.