Former President Yahya Jammeh has warned Gambians against tribalism and regional divisions, saying ethnic politics threatens national unity, peace and development.

In a recorded message played at a rally organised by the No to Alliance Movement at the Buffer Zone, Jammeh urged citizens to rise above ethnic differences and embrace a common national identity.

“My party has never been a party for a tribe. My party is a party for all citizens of this country that love development, rapid socioeconomic development, equality, and total eradication of poverty, backwardness, and insecurity,” he said.

The former president argued that national development must benefit all Gambians, regardless of their ethnic or regional backgrounds, warning that tribal divisions could undermine the country’s stability.

“If we are tribes, that is a recipe for disaster,” he cautioned.

Jammeh also called for collective efforts to protect The Gambia’s independence and ensure that the country’s natural resources are used to improve the living standards of its people.

He said The Gambia should seek international recognition through peace, freedom, humanity and economic prosperity rather than military power.

The former leader urged Gambians to unite in the fight against hunger, poverty and insecurity, saying the country’s pursuit of these goals remained unfinished.

Jammeh has lived in exile in Equatorial Guinea since January 2017, following his defeat in the December 2016 presidential election and the political crisis that followed his initial acceptance and subsequent rejection of the results.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened in the crisis and deployed troops under the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), which has maintained a presence in the country since his departure.

Despite nearly a decade in exile, Jammeh continues to enjoy support among sections of his former political base.

By Adama Makasuba