Dawda Jawara, President of the Republic of The Gambia for 24 years, between April 1970 and July 1994, died on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at the age of 95 years. He was the first head of state.
Dawda Jawara was born on May 16, 1924 in Barrajally, The Gambia. He was a member of the Progressive Popular Party, also known as the People’s Party.
He was first Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970. In 1965, he oversaw the independence of his country long under the rule of Great Britain, and in 1970 he declared the independent republic of Gambia which he became the first president.
However, in the performance of his duties, he has often been accused of nepotism and corruption. In 1994, he was ousted by a coup by Yayah Jammeh, then 29 years old.
The current president, Adama Barrow, is saddened by the disappearance of the one he considers the father of the independence of The Gambia.“His death is indeed a great loss for the country in particular and for humanity in general,” he says.
