GAMBIA - PRESIDENT JAMMEH DISSOLVES CABINET

C O N F I D E N T I A L BANJUL 000648

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DEPT FOR AF, AF/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL GA
SUBJECT: GAMBIA - PRESIDENT JAMMEH DISSOLVES CABINET

Classified By: CDA C. Patricia Alsup, Reason 1.4 (b and d)

1.(U) On the evening of October 18, the Office of the
President of The Gambia issued a press release announcing
that President Jammeh was dissolving the Cabinet effective
immediately. Press accounts indicate that the former
Secretaries of State will turn over their departments today

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to their respective Permanent Secretaries who will manage the
Departments until a new Cabinet is appointed. The full text
of the press release follows;

BEGIN TEXT
His Excellency Dr. Alhagie Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, acting under
the provisions of Section 76(1) of the Constitution of the
Republic of The Gambia, has decided to dissolve the Cabinet
with effect from today 18 October 2006. END TEXT


2. (U) The government-controlled newspaper, the Daily
Observer, featured photos of all of the Secretaries of State
and the Vice President on its front page. As of mid-day
October 19 there has been no further information released by
the Office of the President on plans for a new cabinet.


3. COMMENT. (C) Cabinet changes are frequent in The Gambia
and Gambians generally seem unsurprised and unfazed by this
latest move. At this point there is only speculation as to
why President Jammeh made this move at this time or who will
make up the new Cabinet. Some have suggested that Jammeh
simply wanted to send a clear message that he is in charge.
Others postulate that he wants to make room to appoint some
of those those who supported him in the recent elections. We
expect that some of the dismissed SOS's will be reappointed
-- some to their old positions and others to new positions --
but there will also likely be a few new faces. END COMMENT


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