In a fiercely contested presidential contest that has stoked political unrest and put one of West Africa’s most stable democracies to the test, Senegal will cast its ballots on Sunday.
With President Macky Sall’s failed attempt to postpone the vote on February 25 until the end of the year, which sparked violent protests, there will be a great deal of uncertainty before the presidential election.
The release of major opposition figure Ousmane Sonko from prison last week marked a dramatic development in the run-up to Sunday’s vote, sparking joyous celebrations in Dakar’s streets and a resurgence of interest in the race.
Senegal is expected to see its fourth democratic handover of power following its 1960 independence from France on Sunday. The nation is seen as a mainstay of stability in a region that has seen dozens of coups and attempted coups in recent years.
The election on Sunday, according to Senegalese think tank founder Alioune Tine, set a terrible precedent in the nation’s democratic history. Rights organizations have accused Sall’s government of suppressing the opposition, the media, and civil society.
According to Tine, “it was the longest and bloodiest presidential election process, with the highest number of detentions, injuries, and deaths.”
According to Human Rights Watch, throughout the previous three years, almost 1,000 activists and members of the opposition have been arrested nationwide. Sall refuted claims that he’s attempting to maintain his position of authority in a recent interview with the AP.
The most candidates in Senegal’s history—19—are competing in this contest. Among them are a former prime minister and Sonko’s close associate, who was barred from running, and a former mayor of Dakar. A runoff between the leading candidates is widely expected.
Despite the violent upheavals in recent months, analysts say unemployment is the chief concern for a majority of young Senegalese. Around half of Senegal’s population of 17 million is under 18, according to the Afrobarometer, an independent survey research group.
The former leader of the Senegalese political party, Marième Wone Ly, stated, “The big question right now for the Senegalese election is how we are going to get out of poverty.” “There is no light at the end of the tunnel. People fail to notice it.
According to World Bank figures, over one-third of Senegalese people live in poverty. Thousands of people have made dangerous and frequently fatal trips to the West in quest of economic opportunity.
Experts predict that Sonko-backed Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former prime minister Amadou Ba will emerge as the front-runners. In order to spend the last few days leading up to Sunday’s election on the campaign road, Faye was also released from prison last week.
Sonko was removed from the voting in January because of a prior conviction for defamation, Senegal’s highest election authority said at the time. His supporters maintain that his legal troubles are part of a government effort to derail his candidacy.
The well-liked opposition leader has encountered numerous legal issues, which began in 2021 when he was allegedly accused of rape. Although he was found not guilty of the accusation, he was found guilty of influencing youngsters and given a two-year prison sentence last summer, which sparked violent protests throughout Senegal.
As demonstrators came to the streets last summer in Senegal, it was fearful that Sall would run for a third term in government. This led to violent upheaval in the country. A 2016 vote determined that constitutional reforms forbade a president from holding office for more than two terms in a row.
Finally, Sall rejected a third term.
Idrissa Seck, who has raced in past races and held the position of prime minister approximately 20 years ago, is one of the other competitors for the top slots in the race.
The only other female contender for president is Anta Babacar Ngom, the first woman to run for office in many years, but not many predict she will get a sizable portion of the vote.
Tensions had risen in recent months, but Sall’s unexpected decision to free Sonko and Faye has helped to relieve them. Election observers predict more calm voting on Sunday.
Civil society election monitor Rokhiatou Gassama stated, “Loosening the knot has cooled things a little, and has brought a bit of peace to the public arena.” “My analysis indicates that this will be a calm election.”
