In Senegal, the opposition has mobilized again to demand an election date before April 2nd. Several hundred demonstrators followed the call for a new joint opposition front, Fippu. They also called for the release of political prisoners and opponent Ousmane Sonko.
Published on: March 2, 2024 – 8:12 p.m
2 minutes
With our correspondent in Dakar, Juliette Dubois
The demonstrators shouted “2. April final stop” or even “Macky demal”, “Macky go away”. For them, the president must respect the Constitution and leave power on this day, which marks the end of his term. They reject the June 2 date proposed at the end of this week's national dialogue and a possible transition Macky Sall.
The football field where they gathered in Yoff filled up from 3 p.m. to be almost full by the end. Fippu, which initiated the demonstration, was founded on Thursday. It brings together civil society coalitions such as F24 or Aar Sunu Elections (“Protect our elections” in Wolof), but also most of the 19 candidates confirmed by the Constitutional Council for the February 25 election.
“Macky Sall, we can’t trust him anymore.”
Among the demonstrators were those disappointed with Macky Sall like Eva Diouf. “I am one of those who voted for Macky Sall in 2019, but I deeply regret that. It’s better that he goes, that’s better,” she says today.
Even though Macky Sall reiterated that he will step down from power on April 2, this is not enough to reassure student Babacar Senghor. “Macky Sall, we can no longer trust him. It's not the first time he says, “I'm leaving,” and in the end it doesn't happen. “What we want now is action,” he complains.
For certain candidates like Daouda Ndiaye, organizing an election in less than a month and during Ramadan is still possible. “We are ready to leave days of election campaigns behind us. Today is only March 2nd. If the election is held in a week, it will still be feasible,” he believes.
Among the demonstrators were many Pastef activists who also called for the release of their leader Ousmane Sonko as well as his right arm Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the candidate in the race. Citizens also called for the release of all other political prisoners and supporters of other candidates such as Khalifa Sall and Anta Babacar Ngom.
The candidates who have arrived there say they are ready to give up their 20 days of campaigning and hold a week-long express campaign so that Senegalese can vote in March.