By: Momodou S. Gagigo
Exile Former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has announced “Operation Complete Weeding,” a planned internal campaign within the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), in a new audio message to party supporters.
Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a military coup in 1994 and ruled The Gambia until January 2017, has lived in exile in Equatorial Guinea since leaving office and spoke directly to what he called “genuine members” of the APRC. Jammeh urged patience while warning against people allegedly using his name to issue statements or attack the party executive. He instructed supporters to verify any such claims carefully.
“If you don’t see the face, or clearly hear the audio, report the matter immediately,” Jammeh said. He advised reporting suspicious messages to the press, party executives or trusted individuals, adding that his media team would help expose those falsely claiming to act on his behalf.
Jammeh then turned to a farming metaphor to describe the state of the APRC. He compared the party to a farm that cannot prosper until weeds are removed.
“There are so many weeds that have to be weeded out for the farm to prosper,” he declared. He announced he would soon launch “Operation Complete Weeding,” with full details to follow “not later than next Friday.”
Repeating the phrase several times, Jammeh escalated the language, calling it “Operation Wipe Out the Weeds,” “Operation Bulldozer” and “Extreme Bulldozer.”
“When I say weeding, maybe others will not understand,” he explained before introducing the stronger terms.
Jammeh did not name any individuals or factions as the “weeds.” His comments nevertheless point to an impending internal restructuring or purge within the APRC. He said the time for action had arrived but withheld further details.
The former president said he was satisfied that people he accused of spreading false information about him were already being exposed. He insisted that anyone falsely claiming his authority would eventually be unmasked and urged supporters not to act on unverified statements.
Throughout the message, Jammeh repeatedly called for patience ahead of a more detailed announcement expected by next Friday. The farming imagery has already given the initiative a vivid political label, with “Operation Complete Weeding” emerging as its central slogan.
Whether the campaign targets specific rivals, party officials or broader elements remains unclear. The forthcoming details are expected to clarify what Jammeh means by “weeding” and what changes he believes the APRC “farm” needs to thrive.
