About 90 percent of Gambia’s 1.8 million people are Muslim. Jammeh was making a declaration about the republic, and was not declaring it in line with the jihadist organization known as the Daesh group.
“Gambia cannot afford to continue the colonial legacy,” Jammeh said.
In an attempt to allay the fears of religious minorities, Jammeh said the rights of Gambia’s Christian community will be protected.
Jammeh said that there will be no mandates on dress. “We will be an Islamic state that would respect the rights of all citizens and non-citizens.”
The head of the country’s Islamic body wouldn’t say if he endorsed the declaration.
“We haven’t met yet to discuss over the presidential announcement,” said Gambia’s Supreme Islamic Council Chairman Imam Momodou Lamin Touray.
Hamat Bah of the opposition National Reconciliation Party criticized the decision.“There is a constitutional clause that says that Gambia is a secular state,” he said. “You cannot make such a declaration without going through a referendum.”
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