President Adama Barrow is set to return to The Gambia on Thursday after his predecessor Yahya Jammeh finally quit power under threat of a military intervention, west African political sources said.

A source close to the Senegalese presidency and a diplomatic source in The Gambia’s capital Banjul on Wednesday confirmed the announcement made on a Facebook page linked to the new president that Barrow is due to arrive on Thursday at 4:00 pm (1600 GMT). </s> Gambian president, Adama Barrow will on Saturday be officially sworn in at the Independence Stadium in Banjul, the country’s capital.

The inauguration coincidentally falls on The Gambia’s 52nd Independence Day celebration.

US Department of State, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield is ecpected to be at the event.

Barrow had taken his first oath of office in Dakar, at the Gambian embassy in Senegal after former President Yahya Jammeh refused to leave office.

He was sworn-in by the head of The Gambian bar association.

This second oath will be administered by the new Chief Justice, Justice Hassan Jallow. </s> New Gambian President Adama Barrow is due to be formally inaugurated in the capital Banjul where celebrations will mark 52 years of the west African country’s independence.

Mr Barrow was sworn in last month at a ceremony at the Gambian embassy in neighbouring Senegal.

Long-time ruler Yahya Jammeh had refused to step down despite his electoral defeat.

Under pressure from regional powers, he went into exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Adama Barrow is only the third president in the history of The Gambia.

He has promised a new dawn for the country, which was ruled with an iron fist by Yahya Jammeh.

Mr Jammeh was voted out in December but he only agreed to step aside when regional powers sent in troops ready to remove him by force.

Many political prisoners have already been freed and The Gambia is set to rejoin international institutions such as the International Criminal Court and the Commonwealth.

BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says that thousands of people are expected to attend the ceremony at the main stadium in the capital Banjul. </s> File: The official inauguration of Adama Barrow as Gambian president takes place on Saturday. Photo: Seyllou / AFP

BANJUL - The Gambia will officially swear in Adama Barrow as president at the Independence Stadium in Bakau on Saturday.

Barrow first took his oath of office in a makeshift inauguration ceremony in Senegal last month.

His inauguration brings an end to 22 years of oppression under Yahya Jammeh, who was forced to go into exile after refusing to concede the election.

Barrow inherits an insolvent economy, with a more than 40 percent unemployment rate. </s> Adama Barrow has been sworn as President in Banjul, the Gambia’s capital.

The occasion was witnessed by thousands of people at the independence stadium.

It is the second time Mr Barrow is taking the oath of office.

The first time was at a very low-key event at the country’s embassy in Senegal, January, after a lengthy power struggle with the former President, Yahya Jammeh.

Mr Barrow is the third president in the history of the Gambia, and the celebration is also marking 52 years of the country’s independence.

Jammeh had refused to accept election results but finally left after mediation by regional leaders and the threat of military intervention.

The former President eventually flew into exile, ending his 22 years in power. </s> DAKAR, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Gambian President Adama Barrow, who was inaugurated in neighbouring Senegal as mediators engineered an exit deal for predecessor Yahya Jammeh, is to return to Gambia on Thursday, a senior aide said.

Barrow will face the task of restoring democratic governance in the sliver-like West African country after 22 years under Jammeh, whose government gained a reputation for the torture and killing of perceived opponents.

"He (Barrow) is leaving tomorrow and will arrive in Banjul at around 4 p.m. (1600 GMT)," aide Amie Bojang told Reuters.

Jammeh pitched Gambia into turmoil in December when he refused to accept his loss in an election to Barrow and demanded a fresh vote.

The former soldier finally stepped down on Saturday and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea under diplomatic pressure given teeth by several thousand West African troops who crossed into Gambia and were poised to enforce the election result.

Many Gambians are angry that Jammeh fled into what they assume to be a luxurious exile rather than face trial for alleged human rights abuses. (Reporting by Emma Farge; writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; editing by Mark Heinrich) </s> President Adama Barrow is planning to return to Gambia on Tuesday, now that West African troops have secured the country, Barrow’s spokesperson said on Monday. Barrow will return to the capital, Banjul, from neighbouring Senegal, where he sought refuge for security reasons, spokesperson Halifa Sallah said. Barrow also appointed Fatoumata Tambajang as vice president, said Sallah.

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Also, Like us on facebook </s> BANJUL, Gambia – Gambia’s new President Adama Barrow will arrive in the country on Thursday, a week after he was sworn into office in neighboring Senegal, officials with the new government confirmed Wednesday.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press about the matter.

Gambians eagerly await Barrow, who has promised to reverse many of the actions of longtime leader Yahya Jammeh. Barrow defeated Jammeh in December elections that the ruling party challenged.

Jammeh finally flew into exile over the weekend after international pressure, ending a more than 22-year rule. He has been accused by rights groups and others of leading a government that suppressed opponents with detentions, beatings and killings.

A West African regional military force that was poised to oust Jammeh if diplomatic talks failed has been securing Gambia for Barrow’s arrival. He has requested that the force remain in Gambia for six months, but it is unclear whether heads of state with the regional bloc known as ECOWAS will approve a deployment of that length.

Barrow has been waiting in Senegal, where he took the oath of office at Gambia’s embassy amid fears for his safety.

He has been busy this week forming his Cabinet and has named a woman, Fatoumata Tabajang, as vice president. She has vowed to seek prosecution for Jammeh, who flew with family and close aides to Equatorial Guinea.

On Tuesday, Gambia’s lawmakers lifted the country’s state of emergency and revoked a three-month extension of Jammeh’s term, as the new government began dismantling his final attempts to cling to power. </s> Adama Barrow has been sworn in as president on Gambian soil, marking the end of a tense political standoff with the West African nation’s former leader.

Dressed in flowing white robes, Barrow arrived at the Independence Stadium on Saturday to fanfare in Bakau, a town 20km from the capital Banjul, waving to supporters from his vehicle.

Several world leaders and thousands of Gambians witnessed Barrow’s second swearing-in ceremony.

Barrow first took the oath in an official ceremony at The Gambia’s embassy in neighbouring Senegal in January, as former leader Yahya Jammeh refused to cede power.

International pressure and the threat of regional military intervention led Jammeh to finally accept his December election defeat and fly into exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Hundreds of thousands of Gambians welcomed Barrow’s return to The Gambia on January 26.

Barrow, 52, was born the year that The Gambia gained independence.

He has promised to reverse many of Jammeh’s policies which stretched over more than two decades of power.

Already, Barrow has committed to stay in the International Criminal Court (ICC), rejoin the Commonwealth, and free political prisoners.

Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque, reporting from the inauguration site, said Gambians were also celebrating the country’s 52nd independence day, which coincided with the swearing-in ceremony.

“Under Jammeh’s rule, the independence day was not a day of celebration. They had to celebrate July 22, instead. The day when Jammeh took power in 1994,” he said.

“So, Gambians are taking this opportunity Adama Barrow’s victory as well as their country.” </s> Adama Barrow has been sworn-in as new President of Gambia.

He took the oath of office at the Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal on Thursday.

Speaking after taking the oath of office, Barrow called on security forces to “demonstrate their loyalty” in a standoff with outgoing President of the country, Yahya Jammeh.

He said, “From today on, I am the president of the Gambia regardless of whether you voted for me or not.”

“I command the chief of defence staff and officers of high command to demonstrate their loyalty to me as commander in chief without any delay.

“I command all members of the armed forces to remain in their barracks, those found wanting or in possession of firearms without my order will be considered rebels.”

Jammeh, who was floored by Barrow in the last presidential election, first conceded defeat but later changed his mind citing irregularities during the polls. He has since challenged the results in court but has suffered several setbacks.

Following Jammeh’s insistence to clinch onto power, the country’s parliament, had on Wednesday backed his stay in office by extending his tenure by three months.

The action of the President has left many of the country’s citizens in fear as they have now fled to neighbouring Senegal.

Just yesterday, the country’s Vice President, Isatou Njie Saidy, resigned from her position.

The development is coming same day the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science, Technology and Religious Affairs, Abubacar Senghore, who is the eighth cabinet member, abandoned Jammeh.

Similarly, Counsel to the embattled President, Edu Gomez, fled the country to neighbouring Senegal after asking the President to step down in order to avoid a gruesome end to his tenure.

Earlier, Nigerian soldiers and a Nigerian warship were sent to the Gambia to terminate the 22-year old leadership of Jammeh who has vowed against handing over power.
Gambian President Adama Barrow returns to the Gambia after being sworn in as president in Senegal, bringing an end to the country's political crisis.