Gambian constitutional referendum, 1996
Encyclopedia
A constitutional referendum was held in the Gambia
on 8 August 1996. The new constitution was passed, with voter turnout of 85.9%.
president Dawda Jawara
was overthrown in a military coup led by Yahya Jammeh
on 22 July 1994. Following the coup, Jammeh ruled Gambia by decree as head of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
, with all political activity banned. He promised a return to civilian rule within four years, and a constitution was drawn up following a controversial consultation process.
The new constitution allowed for multiparty elections, an unlimited number of five year presidential terms and lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
The referendum was organised by the Provisional Independent Electoral Commission, with 447,062 voters registered.
were held in August 1996, which were won by Jammeh (despite him denying that he would stand until shortly before the election). In January 1997 parliamentary elections
were held and won by Jammeh's Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
.
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
on 8 August 1996. The new constitution was passed, with voter turnout of 85.9%.
Background
ElectedGambian general election, 1992
General elections were held in the Gambia on 29 April 1992. The election date was announced on 14 February and the National Assembly was dissolved three days later. A total of 130 candidates ran for the 36 elected seats, though the ruling People's Progressive Party was the only one with a candidate...
president Dawda Jawara
Dawda Jawara
Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, GCMG was the first leader of The Gambia, serving first as Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970 and then as President from 1970 to 1994....
was overthrown in a military coup led by Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia...
on 22 July 1994. Following the coup, Jammeh ruled Gambia by decree as head of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council
Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council gained control of Gambia in July 1994, in a military coup d'état. The AFPRC deposed the Dawda Jawara government and banned opposition political activity. Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state...
, with all political activity banned. He promised a return to civilian rule within four years, and a constitution was drawn up following a controversial consultation process.
The new constitution allowed for multiparty elections, an unlimited number of five year presidential terms and lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
The referendum was organised by the Provisional Independent Electoral Commission, with 447,062 voters registered.
Results
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 270,193 | 70.37% |
| Against | 113,744 | 29.63% |
| Total | 383,937 | 100% |
| Source: African Elections database | ||
Aftermath
Presidential electionsGambian presidential election, 1996
Presidential elections were held in the Gambia on 29 September 1996. The first since Yahya Jammeh's 1994 coup, they were also the first elections to be held under the new constitution, and the first presidential elections to be held alone...
were held in August 1996, which were won by Jammeh (despite him denying that he would stand until shortly before the election). In January 1997 parliamentary elections
Gambian parliamentary election, 1997
Parliamentary elections were held in the Gambia on 2 January 1997 three months after presidential elections. The first since Yahya Jammeh's 1994 coup, they were also the first parliamentary elections to be held under the new constitution...
were held and won by Jammeh's Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction is a political party in The Gambia, founded by army officers who staged a coup in 1994. It was formed in 1996 to support army leader Yahya Jammeh's campaign for the 1996 elections....
.