Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, who
ruled the West African country for 22 years, was defeated at the
polls on December 1.
According to multiple sources, Gambia's
Independent Electoral Commission named Adama Barrow the winner of the
presidential election.
Barrow is an independent candidate who
represents a coalition of opposition parties.
“Allah is telling me my time is up
and I hand over graciously with gratitude toward the Gambian people
and gratitude toward you,” the AP quoted Jammeh as telling Barrow
in a telephone call.
Jammeh, who took power in a 1994
military coup, has a long history of homophobic remarks.
Last year, he threatened to slit the
throats of gay men: “If you do it [in Gambia], I will slit your
throat. If you are a man and want to marry another man in this
country and we catch you, no one will ever set eyes on you again, and
no white person can do anything about it.”
“Homosexuality is anti-God,
anti-human, and anti-civilization,” he said in 2013. “Homosexuals
are not welcome in the Gambia. If we catch you, you will regret why
you are born. … Allowing homosexuality means allowing satanic
rights.”
In 2008, he warned that he would “cut
off the head” of gays found in his country.
Barrow's views on LGBT rights are not
known.