Jammeh-Barrow
Yahya Jammeh and Adama Barrow

The Gambia’s President-elect, Adama Barrow will be safely housed in Senegal until his swearing-in on Thursday. This was revealed by the Senegalese News Agency (APS) on Sunday. This comes as an answer to the request made by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who asked the nation of Senegal to safe-keep Barrow until his inauguration.

“Senegalese President Macky Sall agreed in Bamako on Saturday to host Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow in Dakar until his inauguration,” the news agency reported. Mr. Barrow landed in Dakar on Sunday from the 27th France-Africa Summit in Mali which he attended with ECOWAS leaders on Friday.

After talks with Jammeh ended inconclusively, the ECOWAS set January 19, the day of the inauguration as the deadline to break the political logjam. The situation has seen thousands of Gambians, mostly women and children fleeing their country  for fear of violence.

President Yahya Jammeh who has the support of the Gambian military, rejected the outcome of the 2016 elections that named Adama Barrow as his successor. Jammeh who has led Gambia since 1994 has also been cautioned by the African Union who says  it will no longer recognize him as president come January 19.