Gambia's President Yahya Jammeh has declared the country an Islamic Republic in an attempt to move away from the West African nation's colonial legacy.
"In line with the country's religious identity and values, I proclaim Gambia as an Islamic state," Jammeh, 50, announced during a political rally on the outskirt of the capital Banjul, according to New Zimbabwe.
"As Muslims are the majority in the country, the Gambia cannot afford to continue the colonial legacy," he added.
He made it clear, however, that the rights of Gambia's religious minorities, including Christian community, will be respected. Muslims constitute more than 90 percent of country's population with eight percent Christians.
"Christians would be given their own respect. Our relationship with all the rest of the religions...Nobody has the right to interfere with their way of life. The way they celebrate Christmas would continue," he said, according to Freedom Newspaper.
He also said that there would be no restriction on women's dress. Jammeh recently said that tight jeans and underwear are making Gambian women infertile.
"I have not appointed anyone as an Islamic policeman. The way women dress is not your business. You are a Muslim; she is a Muslim. You should not tell her the way she should dress because it not your business. In the next world, you cannot defend her. We will be an Islamic state that would respect the rights of all citizens and non citizens," the Gambian leader said.
President Yahya Jammeh's "Islamic State" proclamation requires constitutional confirmation in order to change Gambia's "Secular State" status in the Constitution, according to All Africa.
