US and UK formed main opposition party during Atlanta 96 Olympics - Jammeh

Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh has disclosed that the country’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) was founded by foreign forces two decades ago in the United States (US) a move that violates the country’s constitution.

The Gambian leader who heads into Thursday’s election was speaking in an exclusive interview with the BBC correspondent covering the polls. He said the US and United Kingdom were behind the UDP.

‘‘The UDP, the main so called opposition party was created by the Americans and the British in 1996 in Atlanta during the Atlanta Olympics. This is a violation of our constitution which says you cannot form a party based on tribes or religion or origin or region,’‘ he said.

Lifted Gambia from ‘stone age’ to modernity

Asked why Gambians should vote for him for a fifth term, Jammeh said ‘‘Because I have taken Gambia from stone age to a modern country. Any Gambian (anybody) living in this country can go to any university in the world,’‘ he said.

He also touted the achievements of his government especially in the areas of health, education and infrastructure. Among others, free medical care for pregnant women countrywide, he also claimed that medical care in government hospital costs 5 cents or less.

He referred to free secondary school education and said in 2018, plans were afoot to make university education free. He disclosed that 98% of varsity students were schooling on scholarship.

Not campaigning, cautioning against violence and tribalism

Have you seen me campaigning, have you heard me saying anyone should vote for me? I am making so that they …. I have zero tolerance for violence and I don’t want this country to vote based on tribes.

Because tribalism has destroyed Africa. If you want to set any African country on fire easily, divide it on ethnic lines and then put their heads together and then see what happens, I am not going to entertain that.

On allowing opposition more space for critical or dissenting voices

It depends on what you mean by dissenting voices. In the UK are they not following jihadist websites, are they not dissenting voices? But it is in their national interest so that terrorism is not encouraged.

So those type of dissenting voices that are detrimental to our national security will not be tolerated here. If they are not tolerated in the UK in the US, why should they he tolerated in Africa?