Gambia: President Yahya Jammeh inaugurated to fourth term
Gambian incumbent Yahya Jammeh (L) speaks with his wife, Zeineb Souma Jammeh, on Nov. 24, 2011 as he leaves a polling station in the capital Banjul after voting in the presidential elections. Gambians voted on Nov. 24 in polls, which some observers said were skewed in favor of Jammeh, who heaped scorn on criticism that his regime is repressive.
BOSTON — Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh was inaugurated into his fourth term today, promising that people would see "a different Yahya Jammeh."
Jammeh also promised to focus on women empowerment and youth employment, the AFP reported.
He pledged he would make Gambia an economic superpower in the next five years by taking more specific action.
Read more on GlobalPost: Gambia's Jammeh: "I will rule 1 billion years"
"You cannot be in your offices everyday doing nothing," Jammeh said on a televised state address, according to Bloomberg. "This has to stop. You either do your work or leave or go to jail."
He continued without elaborating, according to the AFP:
"I will wipe out almost 82 percent of those in the work force in the next five years starting this Friday (tomorrow) unless they change their attitudes."
Going forward, Jammeh talked about adopting a "zero tolerance" policy for corruption and drugs, saying he will not compromise the country's security for the interest of few.
Read more on GlobalPost: Drug traffickers get 50 years in Gambia
Jammeh was re-elected for his fourth term in November after a widely criticized poll. He first seizing power in a coup in 1994.
His rule has been criticized by international human rights groups, which have accused the leader of making unlawful arrests and holding unfair trials, according to Bloomberg.
"President Jammeh is once again proving that he does not tolerate any form of criticism and is ruthlessly persecuting anyone who speaks out against his regime," said Lucy Freeman, Gambia's Amnesty International researcher, the AFP reported.
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