Senegal update: New vote date

 

My latest for RFI:

Senegalese lawmakers postpone presidential election to 15 December

Senegal's parliament voted to hold a postponed presidential election on 15 December in the face of a public outcry over the decision by President Macky Sall to postpone the elections due later this month. 

The decision threatens to tarnish Senegal's reputation as a bastion of democratic stability in a region swept by coups.

Riot police fired tear gas to disperse protests outside parliament as lawmakers discussed the bill that initially proposed rescheduling the 25 February vote to 25 August. This would keep Sall in power until his successor is elected.

However, just before the final vote, the bill was amended to propose a later election date of 15 Dec., an amendment that was passed by 105 MPs in the 165-seat Assembly.

'Institutional coup'

The last-minute amendment to postpone the election to December rather than August is likely to provoke further opposition backlash.

Analysts fear a repeat of violent protests that have broken out over the past three years partly over Sall's alleged authoritarian overreach.

• Human Rights Watch warns of Senegal repression ahead of elections

After hours of procedural discussions, lawmakers had been due to start the debate and vote on the bill, when around a dozen opposition members rushed the central dais and refused to leave, effectively halting parliamentary debates.

More than two hours later, security forces moved them off the central area, allowing the vote to proceed.

"What you are doing is not democratic, it’s not republican," said opposition MP Guy Marius Sagna, who was one of several rebel MPs wearing a sash in the colours of the Senegalese flag.

The ex-Pastef party MP Ayib Daffé, told RFI that he believes the 15 December decision is unconstitutional.

“They managed to pass the amendment which extends the mandate of the president of the republic illegally, unconstitutionally until 15 December. We are not going to accept this."

Other opposition and civil society groups have angrily rejected the decision, with some claiming Sall is trying to postpone his departure.

The F24 platform, a large group of organisations behind past demonstrations, and candidate Khalifa Sall, have called it an "institutional coup".

Protests and more arrests

The postponement faces a strong pushback.

At least three of the 20 presidential candidates submitted legal challenges to the delay, Constitutional Council documents showed. Two more candidates have vowed to challenge it via the courts.

Around 100 people gathered outside parliament on Monday, after confrontations on Sunday, chanting "Macky Sall is a dictator".

Police fired tear gas, chased them into side streets and made arrests.

Earlier, authorities also temporarily restricted mobile internet access since Sunday night, citing hate messages on social media and threats to public order. 

The private Walf television channel said it was taken off air on Sunday and had its licence revoked.

• Concern, anger mount as internet and television signal cut in Senegal

Several schools sent pupils home early.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have issued warnings, calling on the government to respect the right to peaceful assembly and "ensure fundamental freedoms." 

The deputy spokesperson for the US State Department, Vedant Patel, also told RFI that Washington is "deeply concerned about the situation in Senegal”, and has called on the Senegalese authorities to "immediately restore access to the internet and to respect freedom of expression, including for the press."

 (with Reuters) 

Senegal: Election postponed. Democracy under threat

 

Senegalese President Macky Sall on Saturday announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election scheduled for 25 February, just hours before official campaigning was due to start.

In an address to the nation, Sall said on Saturday that he signed a decree abolishing a previous measure that set the date as lawmakers investigate two Constitutional Council judges whose integrity in the election process has been questioned.

"I will begin an open national dialogue to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election," Sall added without giving a new date. 

It is the first time a Senegalese presidential election has been postponed. 

A November 2023 decree signed by Sall fixed the election for February 25, with 20 candidates in the running but without two major opposition figures. 

Sall had repeatedly said he would hand over power in early April to the winner of the vote. 

After announcing he would not run for a third term as president, Sall designated Prime Minister Amadou Ba from his party as his would-be successor. 

The Constitutional Council has excluded dozens of candidates from the vote, including firebrand anti-system figurehead Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade.

Protests and police

Opposition supporters gathered in the capital Dakar on Sunday to protests to decision.

Senegal police fired teargas at hundreds of them, an AFP journalist saw.

Gendarmes fired tear gas to disperse men and women of all ages waving Senegalese flags or wearing the jersey of the national football team, who had converged in the early afternoon at a roundabout on one of the capital's main roads at the call of a number of opposition candidates.

Aminata Toure, former Prime Minister of Senegal, Member of Parliament & leading opposition figure, was arrested on 4 February 2024 in Dakar at the protest, according opposition deputy Guy Marius Sagna told AFP, as well as candidate Anta Babacar Ngom.

A presidential election unlike any other

No clear frontrunner had emerged ahead of the 25 February vote, with an unprecedented 20 candidates bidding to become Senegal's next president. 

But the opposition from the ex-Pastef party had repeatedly shared opinion polls showing their large advance.

Ex-Pastef's vice-president, Birame Souleye Diop, told RFI that Faye was fully in tune with its voters' expectations. Diop claimed that pre-election polls gave the party some 71 percent of the vote.

Sonko's Pastef party has struck a chord with Senegal's youth with its pan-Africanist rhetoric and defiant stance on former colonial power France. 

But after a series of judicial battles, its popular leader lost the right to compete and put forward substitute candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye instead. Both are still in prison, and Faye might have to campaign from behind bars.

Concerns for freedom

Often held up as a bastion of stability in West Africa, Senegal's vote will be closed watched by the international community. 

Since 2021, Senegal has witnessed deadly unrest caused by a severe clampdown on the opposition. The violence has led to dozens of deaths and hundreds of arrests. 

Last month Human Rights Watch denounced Senegal's repression of opposition leaders, media and civil society, claiming that "the authorities have been filling prisons for the last three years with hundreds of political opponents". 

 >> Read: Human Rights Watch warns of Senegal repression ahead of elections 

Sadibou Marong, head of office for sub-Saharan Africa at Reporters Without Borders, told RFI that the media watchdog had recorded 18 incidents against the press between mid-2022 and mid-2023. 

"Most of them were related to elections," he added, saying that despite Senegal's historic press freedom, Sall has pushed for the persecution of journalists. "We are very, very worried," Marong said. Senegal's government, meanwhile, insists that "all freedoms are exercised without hindrance".

 >> Listen here: Senegal: Elections & the press

Major infrastructure projects undertaken by Sall's government have divided the electorate. And the last few years of his presidency were difficult, marked by Covid, the war in Ukraine, and the departure of tens of thousands of Senegalese nationals to Europe.

Senegal: Elections & the press

 

A few weeks ahead of a key presidential election in Senegal, NGOs and civil society denounce an increasing repression against opposition leaders, media and civil society. 

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) confirmed the issue: "Attacks, arrests and persecution of journalists  are mounting in the whole country", RSF's head of office for Subsaharan Africa Sadibou Marong told me:

Senegal - Presidential election in 24 days

 

My latest for RFI English

Senegal to probe Constitutional Council's handling of presidential polls

Lawmakers in Senegal have opened an inquiry into why presidential candidate Karim Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, was excluded from running in this month's elections. The probe will also look at accusations of corruption against certain Constitutional Council judges.

The creation of an investigative committee into the candidate selection process was comfortably adopted, rousing cries of joy from parliament, RFI's correspondent in Dakar reported.

A prominent opponent, Wade served as a minister when his father was president. He was ruled inadmissible by the Constitutional Council because of his dual French and Senegalese nationality.

Wade said he renounced the French citizenship in October 2023.

The head of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) group in parliament, Mamadou Lamine Thiam, said the investigation was paramount.

“Karim Wade was unfairly excluded from the electoral competition," he told RFI.

"There are 900,000 voters unknown to the electoral file, nine candidates excluded from the game ... So we cannot go to elections in these conditions. We need to stop and look at things."

Wade's supporters are hoping for a postponement of the vote to allow their candidate to return to the race.

But the other parties disagree.

The representative of the Yewwi Askan Wi opposition coalition, Ayib Dafe, voted against the commission of inquiry. He says that the demand for postponement is not in the voters' interests.

In the presidential camp, MPs want to avoid an institutional crisis.

“We are in a state of law, Senegal is a major democracy. The institutions are functioning normally. We have not talking about postponement, we are talking about the search for peace to enlighten public opinion," said Abdou MBow, president of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar group.

The first round of the presidential election is set for 25 February, with an unprecedented 20 candidates in the running.

It includes an imprisoned anti-establishment contender, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is running in the name of popular mayor of Ziguinchor, Ousmane Sonko, also in prison, under the banner of his Pastef party.

The European Union mission on Wednesday sent observers to Senegal. They are aiming to meet with all the candidates.

'Entangled Pasts' - inspiring music

 

Ben Harper - 'We Need to Talk About It'

 

Patricia Essong

 

Always in need for new music... but mostly music that doesn't ignore the world and how we respond to ur experience of it... 

Patricia Essong - 'Beauty Painters'

On the future of ECOWAS

 

 From my latest piece for RFI:

Ecowas' future in jeopardy after Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso leave group

The withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the West African economic bloc triggered strong reactions among the group's members, with some promising to reverse the Sahel countries' decision before it is too late. But some are already questioning whether the organisation can survive the split.

If the three juntas do leave Ecowas, the economic group would lose important contributors, notably in cattle and food, as former Benin's prime minister Lionel Zinsou told RFI.

Economically, most Ecowas countries "are interdependent" according to experts. 

The trio had formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September to fight jihadist groups, which will now serve beyond a simple military framework.

Their goal seems to reinforce their Alliance, not only militarily, but also politically and economically. 

"The AES is based on a treaty for a collective security alliance, to support each other in case of aggression," international law researcher Julien Antouly told RFI. "We can imagine it evolving into an economic cooperation, a diplomatic alliance, to form a real bloc and act as a counterweight to the other Ecowas states."

Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the current leader of the junta in Burkina Faso, also told journalists the countries were thinking of leaving the common currency of West Africa, Franc CFA, considered by many as a negative and detrimental legacy of colonialism.

But according to the Timbuku Institute, it also "represents a clear regression in the security situation of the Ecowas region as a homogeneous area of collective security cooperation, where the risks and threats of inter-state conflict had been virtually eliminated.

Heads of states are currently discussing two options: an extraordinary summit in Abuja, Nigeria, maybe even this weekend, or a meeting of Ecowas heads of state at the next African Union summit in Addis Ababa mid-February. 

But for Babacar Ndiaye of the Timbuku Institute, "France and Ecowas were at the receiving end of AES diplomatic slaps in the face. So, the question is now 'who is next in the line'? Not if they can amend their relations with current West African regimes.

ECOWAS - Follow up

 

ECOWAS' key members to discuss with Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso despite withdrawal

The withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from the West African economic bloc triggered strong reactions among the group's members, with some promising to reverse the Sahel countries' decision before it's too late.

Mali and Burkina Faso sent their "formal notice" of their withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS on Monday.

Niger followed on Tuesday. 

The notes came from the military regimes in all three countries, who had announced plans to withdraw from the bloc on Sunday, accusing it of posing a threat to their sovereignty.

The trio had formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September to fight jihadist groups, which will now serve beyond the simple military framework.

The main reason for the withdrawal seems to be the heavy sanctions imposed by regional group on the three countries following the military coups that overthrew elected civilian governments.

ECOWAS officially replied in a statement that it was awaiting "formal and direct notification" from the countries, while, under the bloc's statutes, withdrawal can't take effect for at least a year after official notification.

But most members are already trying to undo the withdrawal.    

Strong reactions

The news is leading to a seismic shift for the economies of West Africa.

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger were founding members of ECOWAS back in 1975, among 15 countries including Togo, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, as well as Africa's giant Nigeria, the most populated nation on the continent, which hosts the bloc's headquarter and currently presides it.

Regional powerhouse Nigeria issued a statement late Monday expressing sadness over the three countries' departure from the bloc.

"Unelected leaders engage in a public posturing to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade and freedom to choose their own leaders," a foreign ministry statement read.

The government in Abuja said it however remained "open for engagement" with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

It also appealed to the international community to continue to extend its support for ECOWAS and its vision of closer regional partnership, cooperation and integration.

Mediation mission

Sierra Leone has also reacted strongly.

Timothy Kabba, its Foreign Affairs minister, is part of the ECOWAS mediation mission in Niger.

He told RFI that the withdrawal risks destabilising the whole region.

"These three countries had hinted last year that they were going to form the Alliance of Sahel States," he said. "But ECOWAS has to ensure that these important members of our community do not withdraw and leave the community.

He thinks this decision is a threat to the peace, security and stability of the entire community.

"These three countries are facing not only their political instability, but also terrorist groups like the al-Qaeda movement and Daesh," Kabba added, "therefore it is a bit worrying if these countries go it alone."

Togo sent as early as Monday its Territorial Administration minister Hodabalo Awaté to Niamey, to meet Niger's transitional authorities.

He hasn't communicated on the outcome yet.

Challenges for all sides

The three countries' withdrawal will not come without challenges.

It will affect the movement of goods and populations, citizens  risking to lose their right to travel freely without visas for 90 days within the rest of the bloc, and to trade without adding taxes.

The three nations also lack access to the sea, and without cooperation from neighbouring Togo and Benin could lose their connection to any port, even though Morocco has offered to help on that matter.

Some experts have described the withdrawal as evidence of the three juntas' fragility.

But according to the Timbuku Institute, it also "represents a clear regression in the security situation of the ECOWAS region as a homogeneous area of collective security cooperation, where the risks and threats of inter-state conflict had been virtually eliminated.

The experts think that withdrawal and constitution of the Alliance of Sahel States risk undermining even the legitimacy and credibility of the whole African Union (AU).

New post on my Substack newsletter: On our 'Entangled Pasts' - and how to move forward

 

On our 'Entangled Pasts' - and how to move forward

An 'Art, Colonialism and Change' exhibition will open at the Royal Academy in London, as new crimes make our present as bleak as the times in focus.

MELISSA CHEMAM

29 JAN 2024

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Dear readers,

Since 2006, I have been working as a journalist and researcher on international relations between Europe, the Americans, the Caribbean, South West Asia and Africa, and how these relations are indeed marred with heavy past entanglements.

I focused on politics, but also history and the arts, going from Paris to London; Miami to Port-au-Prince, Haiti; New York to Tunis; Nairobi to Dakar; Mogadishu to Bangui; Algiers to Erbil; Niamey to Kampala; Istanbul to Bristol…

All places haunted by the consequences of colonialism and how to recover from the damages done.

So, when the opportunity to work with the Royal Academy again (my first event there was a discussion with the brilliant Guyanese British artist Hew Locke, in July 2023), I was both inspired and honoured.

Here are a few details about it:

Talk at The Royal Academy, London, Feb. 2024

Art and revolution 

As part of the 'Entangled Pasts, 1768–now - Art, Colonialism and Change' exhibition - 3 February - 28 April 2024:

Week 1: Art and revolution with Melissa Chemam

An introduction to the history of the long relationship between art and conflict, from revolutions such as the French Revolution and the Haitian Revolution, to the present day.

Melissa Chemam is a journalist, broadcaster and writer on art, music, social change, multiculturalism, African affairs, North/South relations, and activism. She is the author of the book Massive Attack - Out of the Comfort Zone (2019), and has been published by BBC Culture, Al Jazeera, RFI English, Art UK, CIRCA Art Magazine, the Public Art Review, the New Arab, The Independent, Reader’s Digest, UP Mag and Skin Deep. She also worked as a journalism lecturer and as the writer in residence at the Arnolfini art centre, in Bristol, from 2019 to 2022.

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Read the whole post here:

On our 'Entangled Pasts' - and how to move forward

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso quit ECOWAS regional block

 

Three West African junta-led states Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso said on Sunday they are leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) immediately, according to a joint statement read out on Niger national television.

RFI English - 28/01/2024 - 15:51

The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger shared a joined announcement on Sunday afternoon, regarding their immediate withdrawal from the West African bloc ECOWAS. 

The leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement saying it was a "sovereign decision" to leave the Economic Community of West African States "without delay".

"After 49 years, the valiant peoples of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regretfully and with great disappointment observe that the (ECOWAS) organisation has drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism," Colonel Amadou Abdramane, Niger junta spokesman, said in the statement.

"The organisation notably failed to assist these states in their existential fight against terrorism and insecurity," Abdramane added.

Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with ECOWAS since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.

All three were suspended from ECOWAS with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.

They have since hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an "Alliance of Sahel States".

A French military withdrawal from the Sahel -- the region along the Sahara desert across Africa -- has heightened concerns over the conflicts spreading southward to Gulf of Guinea states Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.

• Diplomatic dip for France as African nations seek out stronger partners

The prime minister appointed by Niger's military regime on Thursday blasted ECOWAS for "bad faith" after the bloc largely shunned a planned meeting in Niamey.

Niger had hoped for an opportunity to talk through differences with fellow states of ECOWAS which has has cold-shouldered Niamey, imposing heavy economic and financial sanctions following the military coup that overthrew elected president Mohamed Bazoum.

 (with newswires)