Senegal’s Archbishop of Dakar saddened by postponed presidential election.
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According to international news agencies, Senegalese police cracked down on protests against the postponement of the presidential election. On Monday, Senegal’s parliamentarians debated a bill to reschedule the vote to August and extend President Macky Sall’s mandate.
President Sall announced on Saturday that the 25 February vote would be delayed to an unspecified date due to a dispute over the candidate list and alleged corruption within the constitutional body that handled the list. Some opposition and civil society groups have denounced the move as an “institutional coup.”
Authorities restrict Internet
Senegal’s government has reacted to the protests and social media by restricting mobile Internet access and impeding the movement of protesters. Protesters burned tyres and blocked access roads in Dakar, Senegal’s capital. Several were arrested.
Clashes first broke out in Dakar on Sunday, 4 February, between security forces and protesters who joined a call by opposition parties to take to the streets to protest the postponement of the presidential election. None of Senegal’s presidential elections has ever been postponed before.
Pursue dialogue
Speaking to the Church news service, Agenzia Fides, Archbishop Benjamin Ndiaye said, “Like many of our fellow citizens, I am upset about what is happening.” The Archbishop of Dakar added, “As Senegalese, we need to remember that when there is a law, it must be obeyed. Respecting the law allows the country to progress,” said the Dakar prelate.
He continued, “We must aspire towards national cohesion. We need institutions to be respectable and respected in their mission so that we can move forward together. What is most important to me is for Senegal to live according to its Constitution,” stressed the Archbishop of Dakar, who urged Senegalese to pursue the path of dialogue to regain social peace.
President Sall said he would initiate talks to create a conducive climate for a free, transparent, inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal.
Validated and excluded candidates
Karim Wade, a candidate excluded from the presidential candidacy list, questioned the integrity of two constitutional judges. Another prominent figure barred from presidential candidacy is Ousmane Sonko, sentenced on 4 January for “defamation” to a six-month suspended prison term and declared ineligible for five years. Sonko is popular among young people for his stance against corruption and France’s influence in the country.
In contrast, the presidential camp’s candidate, Prime Minister Amadou Ba, who is contested in his own party, appears to be a weak candidate for the ruling party.
Analysts say the crisis in Senegal could further threaten West Africa’s stability when the region struggles with a recent surge in coups and threats to democratic institutions.
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