Kukoi Sanyang

Who was Kukoi Sanyang?

Kukoi Samba Sanyang led a 1981 rebellion against the democratically elected Gambian government of President Dawda Jawara.

On 31 July 1981, while Jawara was abroad, a 12-member National Revolutionary Council headed by Sanyang seized control of the country. The leftist NRC accused Jawara's government of being "corrupt, tribalistic, and despotic". They also announced the suspension of the country's constitution and proclaimed their intention to establish a "dictatorship of the proletariat".

The attempted coup ended on 5 August when Senegalese troops defeated the rebel forces. Sanyang took refuge in Libya, which had also given him some backing for the coup attempt.

Charles Taylor visited Libya several times, probably between 1986 and 1989. He met with Sanyang and other Gambians who had participated in the 1981 coup attempt. In 1989 “Dr. Manning” was listed by the NPFL as Taylor's vice-president, but was soon edged out by Taylor and retired to manage a bar in Ouagadougou.

In 1995 the Farafenni army camp was attacked by half a dozen men, who killed some Gambian soldiers and held the camp for several hours. Some of the attackers, later captured, claimed they were Sanyang's collaborators. They have been condemned to death and are awaiting their execution. Another was arrested in 2003, is held in Banjul and is still on trial as to early 2007. In 2003 Sanyang based himself in Senegal and went several times to the Gambia to talk with Gambian President Yahya Jammeh at his Kanilai residence. In August 2003 the negotiations failed and Sanyang returned to Senegal for permanent residence.