The Gambia’s National Human Rights Commission has condemned Lawyer Ousainou Darboe’s ‘destroy’ comments against President Adama Barrow amid divisive campaign rallies.

In a statement the Commission’s chairman Emmanuel Joof said the NHRC is “perturbed by the remarks of Mr Ousainou Darbe, the UDP leader and presidential aspirant, to the President’s reference to him as the “CEO” of the 3 Year Jotna Movement by threatening to “destroy” the President. 

“Such statements by political leaders have the potential to threaten the peace and stability of the country, as well as instigate violation of the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and political participation as guaranteed by the1997 Constitution of The Republic of The Gambia and other regional and international human rights instruments ratified by The Gambia.”

Mr Joof said the Commission “expressed in the strongest term its displeasure with such statements and to state categorically that utterances which would encourage and or glorify human rights violations and violence have no place in our society.”

“We wish to remind all political leaders, their supporters and in particular the presidential aspirants, about the IEC Code on Election Campaign Ethics Order as well as their commitments under the Jangjanbureh Peace Accord which they have all signed and are obligated to abide by in both letter and spirit. 

“These instruments expect political leaders/presidential aspirants to be well measured in their speeches and avoid inflammatory, provocative and inciting statements,” he added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba