Cartoon: The many faces of President Yahya Jammeh

The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh is widely known as an unpredictable political figure, and true to his reputation, the Gambian leader last week dropped a bombshell, which left Gambians dumbfounded. Only a week after making a shock concession after a defeat by Adama Barrow in the presidential poll, Jammeh who has been in office for 22 years has declared that he will launch a legal challenge to contest his defeat. Last week Jammeh congratulated Barrow on his “clear victory”, and pledged to oversee a smooth transition. The concession was widely applauded and hailed as a monumental step, which could bode well for democracy, and inspire other African leaders to respect the wishes of the electorate. Jammeh’s about-turn has been widely condemned, seen as an attempt to subvert the will of Gambian citizens and to cling on to power.