Senegal court clears jailed opposition figure for presidential run
A Senegalese judge on Thursday (14 December) ordered that jailed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko be reinstated on the electoral roll, clearing the way for him to stand in next year's presidential election.
The judge thus upheld a regional court ruling from October overturned by Senegal's top court last month, which said the question of whether Ousmane Sonko should be restored to the electoral roll should go back to the lower court in Dakar.
According to RFI's correspondent in Dakar, some supporters of Sonko gathered in the court welcomed this news with jubilation, chanting the opponent's name.
One of his lawyers, Me Ciré Clédor Ly, said that the State could file an appeal before the Supreme Court, but that “this appeal is not suspensive”.
“The electoral code is very clear," he added. "When the judge makes his decision, this decision must be immediately executed.”
Convoluted justice case
Sonko has been at the centre of a stand-off with the state for more than two years.
He came third in the last presidential election.
Growing in popularity over the past few years, especially among young voters, he has however been dealing with the justice system on many cases.
Sentenced for "corrupting the youth" in a boiling court case in June, he was also accused by the government of inciting insurrections, after he resisted his trial with popular marches and protests.
In late July, he was arrested on charges including fomenting insurrection, criminally associating with a terrorist body and endangering state security.
His supporters in his PASTEF Party and the opposition coalition believe that the slew of criminal allegations brought against him since 2021 are part of a campaign to derail his political aspirations ahead of a presidential election in February 2024, led by current president Macky Sall.
In mid-October a judge from Sonko's stronghold of Ziguinchor, the city in the region of Casamance where he has been mayor since January 2022, ordered that he be reinstated on electoral lists for the February vote.
And Senegal’s National Electoral Commission said early in November that Sonko “must enjoy his status as a registered voter with all the rights attached thereto."
But Senegal’s Interior Ministry has since refused the request.
Back in the campaign
A few weeks later, Senegal's Supreme Court ruled on his ineligibility, and his party had to choose another candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to defy President Sall in the upcoming presidential election.
Pastef insisted that not all legal options had been exhausted to clear Sonko's name, encouraging the opposition to work with Diomaye Faye in the meantime.
His spokesperson, El Malick Ndiaye confirmed Sonko want to carry on running.
Sonko now has only a few days to rejoin the presidential race: he need to present formally his candidacy and obtain the necessary sponsorships before 26 December.
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