- Title: Gambians celebrate after President Barrow is sworn in
- Date: 19th January 2017
- Summary: SEREKUNDA, GAMBIA (JANUARY 19, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PRESIDENT BARROW SUPPORTERS DRIVING CARS IN CELEBRATION IN THE STREETS OF WESTFIELD AND LATRIKUNDA NEIGHBOURHOODS SUPPORTERS WEARING SHIRTS READING (English): "#GAMBIA HAS DECIDED" MAN CYCLING DOWN THE ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARROW SUPPORTER, EBOU TURAY, SAYING: "I'm very happy. We have a new president now. I'm very happy. Our old president is very wicked, it's Yahya Jammeh, now we have, our president is Barrow. I like you Mr. Barrow." (SOUNDBITE) (English) BARROW SUPPORTER, LAMIN JAO, SAYING: "The dictator is out. Every time oppressing people. (Reporter saying: But he's still there. He's still there) It's just a question of time. We'll soon flush him out. Believe me." STREET CELEBRATIONS SUPPORTER YELLING (English): "BARROW FOREVER" SUPPORTERS YELLING (English): "ADAMA BARROW / IT'S TIME (for Jammeh to leave)" STREET CELEBRATIONS
- Embargoed: 2nd February 2017 21:13
- Keywords: Gambia Jammeh Barrow inauguration Senegal
- Location: SEREKUNDA, GAMBIA
- City: SEREKUNDA, GAMBIA
- Country: Gambia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZR1D8N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of Gambians celebrated in the streets, cautiously at first, and then gradually in larger numbers on Thursday (January 19) after President Adama Barrow was sworn in.
Cars whizzed up and down the highway lined with iron-roofed shops in the pro-Barrow Serekunda district of Banjul, with horns honking and people hanging out of car windows.
Barrow gave the oath in a tiny room in Gambia's embassy in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
"I'm very happy. We have a new president now. I'm very happy. Our old president is very wicked, it's Yahya Jammeh, now we have, our president is Barrow. I like you Mr. Barrow," said a supporter of the president, Ebou Turay.
"The dictator is out. It's just a question of time. We'll soon flush him out. Believe me," shouted pharmacist Lamine Jao, 30, as others cheered and whistled in agreement.
During the brief inauguration speech, Barrow asserted his new role as commander-in-chief of Gambia's armed services, ordering soldiers to stay calm and remain in their barracks. Those who did not would be considered rebels, he said.
Senegal's army said on Thursday that an ECOWAS regional force has begun strikes as part of Operation "Restore Democracy".
Jammeh, in power since a 1994 coup and whose mandate ended overnight, initially conceded defeat to Barrow following a Dec. 1 election before backtracking, saying the vote was flawed.
Fearing unrest, the United Nations estimates that thousands of Gambians have fled.
A senior aide to Barrow said that arrangements would be made for him to return to Gambia though it was unclear when or how.
It is unclear what Jammeh's next move would be, though he has ignored pressure to step aside and offers of exile. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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