Social Impact of the Gambia’s Conflict Management Strategy During the Presidential Election Crisis of 2016: An Evaluation

Abstract

The Gambia, the smallest country in continental Africa, has faced many social challenges since gaining independence, such as official corruption and electoral fraud. These problems have resulted in the deaths of numerous journalists and members of opposition parties. Through a variety of dishonest methods, Yahya Jammeh rigged elections and embezzled public funds from the Gambia, intend to gain control over the country as his own personal property. Consequently, he declined to hand over power to Adama Barrow, the 2016 presidential winner.  To end the crisis, ECOWAS’s earlier established procedures were applied, such as the democratic and good governance mechanism as well as security, peacekeeping, and conflict management and resolution. Throughout the course of this study, data was acquired from secondary sources by looking through a variety of books, newspapers, magazines, and internet resources. The number of disputes that ECOWAS has been able to settle in West Africa is a proof that the organization has had considerable success in that region in applying its conflict resolution mechanisms.  The nations of Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and, most recently, the Gambia, which is the subject of this inquiry. The study recommends that other subregional organizations to adopt the ECOWAS dispute resolution procedure within their own subregion, in order to defend and uphold human rights, democracy, and responsible government.