26 June 2023
The national dialogue led by Macky Sall came to an end last weekend. Most of the opposition boycotted the talks and still wants him to abandon any plans to run for a third mandate.
The President promised to speak publicly to the Senegalese people after the Muslim holiday of Eid, by the end of the month.
"I will respond because now is the time to respond," Macky Sall told the participants of the national dialogue, closed on Saturday (24 June), "but not today," he added. "I will give a speech to the nation. I will bring my answer.”
The Senegalese President didn't give a precise date, but said it would be after the most important holiday of the year, the Muslim day of Eid al-Adha, which falls on 29 June this year.
From peace to violence
Violent protests erupted in this usually peaceful West African country after the popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was arrested in late May.
Sonko was judged in a rape affairs then sentenced to two years in prison for “corrupting the youth” on June 1st.
An opposition coalition has also been calling for Sonko's release in Senegal since the verdict, and renewed their demand on Sunday, with no luck so far.
Sonko's future remains still unclear for now, but it seems very likely that he won't be able to run in the 2024 presidential election.
While President Macky Sall is coming at the end of his second mandate, rumours have been circulating around his will to run for a third term.
The move is judged by unconstitutional by the Senegalese, as the constitution was recently changed to limit each president to two mandates.
But for his supporters, the change should only apply to the successors of Sall.
This uncertainty has mounted more tension in the country, where the opposition supporters accuse the President of willing to cling to power.
Three weeks ago, Sall's former ally and declared presidential candidate Idrissa Seck called him to clarify his position to help to bring back peace.
Many analysts have underlined that Sall's silence is exacerbating tensions in Senegal.
"Crimes against humanity"?
Meanwhile, Macky Sall was in Paris on Thursday and Friday last week for the global climate finance summit called by French President Emmanuel Macron.
On this occasion, on Thursday Sonko's lawyer, Juan Branco filed a criminal complaint against Sall with the Paris tribunal's crimes against humanity unit.
Sonko alleged that the deadly clashes following his sentencing to jail this month are the latest step in "a generalised and systematic attack on the civilian population" of Senegal, according to his lawyer.
Senegal's foreign minister on Friday slammed as "childish and ridiculous" the lawsuit filed against President Macky Sall.
Sonko's case also targeted the Senegalese Interior Minister Antoine Diome, military police chief Moussa Fall and 112 others.
He's been blaming the government for the violence in his region, Casamance, and in Dakar, since his arrest.
The Senegalese opposition leader has also filed a separate complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
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Read my previous pieces for RFI English:
- Senegalese opposition leader Sonko arrested and escorted to Dakar
- Opposition calls on President Macky Sall to clarify position on third term
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