Senegal: Mobilisation grows against the election delay

 

 Senegalese opponents and civil society join forces to contest election postponement 

Most of the opposition in Dakar want to contest the new election date (15 December) and try to mobilise both in Senegal and internationally. Senegalese civil society groups are also calling for mass mobilisation against election delay.

Out of the 20 candidates on the list to campaign for the presidential role in Senegal, 13 have now formed a collective to act and face the current political crisis.

Among them, the representative of the candidate of ex-Pastef Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the deputies Déthié Fall and Thierno Alassane Sall, and the former minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye.

All denounce the "constitutional coup" by President Macky Sall to keep power beyond 2 April, the date was to cede it to his successor.

“His mandate expires on 2 April. After this deadline, Macky Sall will no longer be recognised as President of the Republic," Aly Ngouille Ndiaye, candidate and former minister, told RFI. "He will not be able to take any action that will commit Senegal,” he added.

The members of the collective also filed an appeal with the Supreme Court on Monday to overturn the president's decree which cancels the convocation of the electoral body on 25 February.

They will file another appeal as quickly as possible to the Constitutional Council to challenge the law passed on Monday which postpones the election to 15 December.

A collective of Senegalese civil society groups and religious leaders also called for mass mobilisation against the delay to this month's presidential poll.

They are planing actions including a protest and a strike as the country faces a political crisis.  

'Calming down'

In response to the protests that stormed Dakar from Sunday, President Sall told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening that he wanted to embark on "a pragmatic process of calming down and reconciliation".

He did not detail what measures he wanted the authorities -- particularly the justice ministry -- to implement, stating only "his desire to bring peace to the public arena".   

Sall also reaffirmed his decision not to take part in the election and "renewed his confidence in Prime Minister Amadou Ba".

Ba has so far kept silent on the current crisis, but has expressed his support for the postponement of the election, a statement from the presidency said.

Sall also repeated his decision not to take part in Senegal's next presidential election and his camp denied he was trying to hang on to power.

“It is not the one who sought to shorten a 7-year mandate who will try to eat away 10 months,” the Secretary General of the government, Seydou Gueye, told RFI. No one should any longer suspect the president of wanting to keep power.”

National, regional and international worry

The opposition feels supported by the recent declaration from the United States, which said the delay "cannot be considered legitimate".

Ecowas also called Senegal to reconsider sticking to the original date in February, which now seems very unlikely.

But the group's wording was "very soft," according to Rama Salla Dieng, a Senegalese lecturer in African Studies at Scotland's University of Edinburgh.

She said Ecowas was prepared to "issue statements but when it's time to act and uphold the principles for which it was created, it doesn't do anything."

She seems to think the group should consider excluding Senegal.