1994 Gambian coup d'état

1994 Gambian coup d'état
Date 22 July 1994 Location The Gambia Result Coup attempt succeeds. Dawda Jawara is overthrown.
Belligerents
Government of the Gambia	Military faction
Commanders and leaders
Dawda Jawara	Yahya Jammeh

In the 1994 Gambian coup d’état, a group of soldiers led by then 29-year-old Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh seized power in a bloodless coup d’état on 22 July, ousting Dawda Jawara who had been President of the Gambia since 1970.^[1]

A coup d'etat in The Gambia abruptly ended the reign of the longest serving democratic government and head of state in Africa. This ministate of one million was renowned internationally for its tranquility at a time when the rest of the continent was mired in political instability. The coup resulted from perceived civilian government weakness, widespread feelings of relative deprivation among junior Gambian officers, and their resentment against senior Nigerian officers who controlled the army. Also, turbulence in the West Africa subregion and poor relations between the deposed Gambia and Senegal governments emboldened the junior officers to intervene.

http://afs.sagepub.com/content/23/1/97.short

References

1. In Gambia, New Coup Follows Old Pattern