| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal swears in former opposition figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye as prez |
| 2024-04-03 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... inaugurated Bassirou Diomaye Faye as its new president on Tuesday, completing the previously little-known opposition figure's dramatic ascent from prison to the palace in recent weeks. Faye was released from prison less than two weeks before the March 24 election, along with popular opposition figure and mentor Ousmane Sonko, following a political amnesty announced by outgoing President Macky Sall. It is the former tax inspector's first time in elected office. "It’s the culmination of a long struggle for democracy and the rule of law," said Aissata Sagna, a 39-year-old factory worker who worked on Faye's campaign. "This is a day of celebration for us, even if we have lost young people killed during the demonstrations." |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Opposition's call for presidential election date in Senegal goes unmet |
| 2024-02-24 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Opponents of the postponement of the presidential election and the extension of Macky Sall's mandate in Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... were left disappointed as their call for a specific election date went unanswered by the President. The opposition had been pushing for the election to take place in March, aligning with the constitutional deadline of April 2nd for the handover of power. However, man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them... President Macky Sall has stated that he is awaiting the outcomes of a dialogue he initiated last week before committing to a precise election date. This dialogue, set to take place next Monday and Tuesday, could potentially involve participation from imprisoned opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye of the former Pastef party, as well as his mentor Ousmane Sonko. President Macky Sall has indicated openness to Sonko's release. The opposition's demand for clarity on the election date underscores the heightened political tensions in Senegal, as various factions await the next steps in the electoral process. ''I will end my term on April 2nd'', Senegal's president pledges [AFRICANEWS] Senegal's president has vowed to abide by the law and to not extend his mandate beyond April 2nd. Macky Sall, who is wrapping up two terms in office, postponed the presidential election for 10 months, citing unresolved disputes over who could run. But his move was struck down by the Constitutional Court as illegal. He spoke Thursday (Feb.22) on live television. "Having been sworn in on 2 April 2019, 2 April 2024 completes the five-year calendar, so that's the end of the Mandate. And I intend to stop at this mandate. After April 2, I intend to step down as President of the Republic." Sall's clarifications come after the ruling coalition voted to extend his rule in early February. At the time, some opposition politicians left the session as the national assembly rescheduled the election for December. Opposition groups are now keeping pressure on Sall who said he will hold talks next week. "The country cannot remain without a President of the Republic. The forthcoming dialogue will certainly have to decide or propose whether a consensus can be reached on the way forward. I hope that the [political] players who are to gather around me to look at the nation's best interests [...] I'll listen to what the dialogue has to say, and after the dialogue, the Constitutional Council will certainly be able to clarify things." Fifteen out of the twenty candidates approved to contest in the delayed presidential elections have united in a call for the vote to be conducted no later than April 2nd. In a historic ruling, the Constitutional Court ordered the government to set a new election date as soon as possible, which it is yet to do. Senegal has been seen as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies, but disputes over the election have plunged the country into a political crisis that has sparked deadly protests. At least three people have been killed by security forces and dozens injured |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| With Senegal set to go back on election track, what's to become of Ousmane Sonko? |
| 2024-02-18 |
| [AFRICANEWS] An announcement that hit the regime like a ton of bricks. After Parliament voted to back the postponement of the presidential election on February 5th, Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... 's constitutional council ruled against the move on Thursday (Feb. 15). The National Assembly voted to reschedule the vote for Dec. 15 and extended Macky Sall's rule set to end on April 2nd. The ruling said the bill adopted by the national assembly was "contrary to the constitution". The decision delighted opposition candidates who filed a case to the council. However, some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them... the opposition didn't obtain that the presidential poll be held as initially scheduled. The 6-member panel of the constitutional council reckoned it was impossible to organize the election on February 25th. The judges nevertheless ordered the competent authorities to reschedule the poll as soon as possible. This was met with mixed reactions. It is important to highlight that the ruling of the Constitutional Council came hours after the liberation of some detainees commonly viewed as political prisoners. Among them are members of citizen movements as well as supporters of now dissolved Pastef party which was headed by Ousmane Sonko. The president is reportedly negotiating with Sonko an early release to ease the prevailing tension in Senegal. Macky Sall on Friday (Feb. 16) pledged to organise presidential elections "as soon as possible" after the Constitutional Council overruled his decision to delay the Feb.25 vote. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal: Tension mounts in Dakar as clashes erupt amid political unrest |
| 2024-02-10 |
| [AFRICANEWS] The streets of Dakar, Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... , became a battleground on Friday (Feb. 09) as simmering political tensions boiled over into The catalyst for the unrest was a planned demonstration by supporters of opposition presidential candidates. Their aim was to voice opposition against a recent law passed by the National Assembly. This law not only postponed the presidential election until December 15, but also controversially extended President Macky Sall's term of office. As the demonstrators gathered, police and gendarmes swiftly moved in, using tear gas to disperse the crowds and prevent the rally from taking place. However, by candlelight every wench is handsome... their efforts only served to exacerbate the situation, fuelling further anger and frustration among the opposition supporters. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening, Dakar was gripped by tension and chaos. Smoke filled the air as barricades were set ablaze, casting a pall of uncertainty over the city. Amidst the chaos, journalists found themselves on the front lines, facing hostility from both protesters and security forces. Several journalists were reportedly charged by law enforcement, while others were briefly detained. Some even sustained injuries in the ensuing melee, highlighting the dangers faced by those reporting on the unfolding events. Despite the volatile situation, the demonstrations continued late into the evening, with the sound of police sirens echoing through the streets. For the residents of Dakar, Friday was a day marred by violence and uncertainty, as the city grappled with the ramifications of the political turmoil gripping the nation. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Election delay setback for Senegal's democracy |
| 2024-02-08 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Residents and analysts reacted on Tuesday to the postponement of elections in Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... In the streets of Dakar, many are wondering about the future of the country and its stability. The postponement has revealed a period of uncertainty, with many Senegalese wondering about the repercussions of the decision and its legitimacy. "It's a whole population that is devastated (by this decision). We even want to change our nationality. How long will this postponement last?" said Pape Alioune Dieme, resident of Dakar. "In any case, we're very worried about the situation in this country", he added. President Macky Sall postponed the Feb. 25 vote, citing an electoral dispute between the parliament and the judiciary regarding some candidacies. Opposition leaders and candidates rejected the decision, calling it a "coup." Analyst Mucahid Durmaz said that while news of election postponement will not lead to "destructive" unrest compared to the 2021 protests in the country, it represents a warning. Senegal is "seen as a beacon of democratic stability" in the West African region, he added, and the postponement of elections will "accelerate the democratic decline" of neighbouring countries, he said. Several opposition politicians were blocked from voting on Monday as parliament rescheduled the election for December, prompting outrage and condemnation. Sall's time in office had been set to end on April 2. |
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| Africa North |
| The West's response to 'Russian Africa': France is overboard, the United States has a new strategy |
| 2024-01-30 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. By Viktor Vasliev [REGNUM] The withdrawal of three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States - Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso - from the largest interregional association ECOWAS can be called an expected event. But its consequences for the Dark Continent could be fateful. The communiqué issued on Sunday following a meeting of the leaders of the three Sahel states makes serious accusations against the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): “ Under the influence of foreign powers, having betrayed its founding principles, the association has become a threat to its member states and its population " The French colonial power still stands behind ECOWAS, this was also stated in the joint press release of the Alliance of Sahel States. To date, there has been no response from ECOWAS. Meanwhile, this is a hard blow for the unification. There is no noticeable public reaction from the French media and officials. They are forced to accept this as a fait accompli, but are unlikely to leave it unanswered. The whole question is what strategies to counter the further growth of Russian influence and the ambitions of local elites for real sovereignty will now be opposed by our main geopolitical opponents in the region - France and the United States. And this is where the fun begins. MALI STARTS AND WINS The situation itself is unique. The Republic of Mali, the only one that truly embarked on a real rebellion and national revolution back in 2020, has grown from a regional threat purely for France into a real alternative and counterbalance both for Francefrique and for the entire system of hegemony of Western powers and companies on the Dark Continent. France simply overslept the mood within society and, more importantly, among the military of Mali. The coup, which initially no one attached any importance to and which came as a surprise to everyone, grew into something more and caused a chain reaction in the region. The neighbors realized that “this is possible.” In May 2021, Colonel Assimi Goita, who can be considered the key personality and inspirer of all changes in the subregion, took full power in the country. Already in October 2022, captain Ibrahim Traore, who was personally acquainted with him, came to power in neighboring Burkina Faso. And in July 2023, as we all remember, during the Russia-Africa Summit, the military took power in Niger. This is how the informal “union of three” is born. Already in September, the leaders of the three states announced the creation of the “Alliance of Sahel States”, and in December the possibility of creating a confederation based on a purely military association was discussed. Such an avalanche-like development of events became possible due to disagreements within the Western coalitions. And here we cannot do without a detailed description of everything that happened in Niger, because since the events in July last year in Niamey, a process of rapid and already striking divergence between the United States and France begins, and in this story there is so far one clear loser - Paris. As for the beneficiaries, everything is murkier, although formally there is every reason to include Russia among them. However, if we switch attention from geopolitical games, contradictions and confrontations between major world powers to the potential opportunities for the African elites and states themselves, one thing can be said: the Sahel countries have a unique chance. A historic chance to begin building a truly sovereign statehood. OBSTINATE FRANCE The events in Niamey became a catalyst for processes that had long been brewing within the Western coalition, including within the NATO bloc in the African direction. If in March 2011, on the eve of the military intervention in Libya, the Western coalition had no doubts about its feasibility, now the situation is the opposite. That is why Niamey survived, and almost immediately the “Sahel State Alliance” happened, because where one or two fail, three already gain stability and turn into a real alternative. Blame it all on “obstinate France”. It was Paris, which in many ways played the role of instigator in the events of the spring of 2011, that laid claim to the Libyan heritage and largely received it after the brutal execution of Muammar Gaddafi. The French hoped to permanently take advantage of the capabilities of their stronger and richer allies (USA, UK, etc.) and at the same time make decisions in the subregions of West and Central Africa exclusively independently. “The old fashioned way,” as General Charles de Gaulle and diplomat Jacques Foccart bequeathed. Of course, this irritated the Americans, who claimed to implement their own strategy in the region, at least in the security sphere, but for the time being gave the formal palm to the French, trusting their experience and competence. Yes, there were moments of mutual claims, leaks and obvious competition in individual locations, but in all main areas positions were agreed upon, and most often in favor of official Paris. Everything changed in the short period after the coup in Niger. The French reacted to it with public hysteria from Emmanuel Macron himself and his foreign policy department, and continued with a series of ultimatums on behalf of ECOWAS regarding the new authorities of Niger. A military solution to the problem has been publicly voiced several times, including following meetings of the heads of the general staffs of the armies of ECOWAS members. However, the situation caused such public outrage, primarily within the countries allies of France, that it threatened the position of the rulers themselves who were in power there. First of all, we are talking about the leader of Côte d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara and the leader of Senegal Macky Sall. The French clearly overestimated themselves and thus completely “lost face” in the region. THE PRICE OF SOVEREIGNTY The military authorities of Niger showed amazing firmness and restraint, including significantly shaking the position of the coalition that was forming against them, including, in addition to the initiative to create the “Alliance of Sahel States”, finding a common language with Chad, and with Nigeria, and with Benin. Yes, there was a tactical moment in the first week after the coup when the Nigerian leader Bola Tinubu, as one can now certainly assume, was at the instigation of the US administration, within the framework of his capabilities and powers as the head of ECOWAS, insisted on a military scenario for solving problems with the new authorities. There is a logical explanation for this tactic. The bet was placed on the internal conflict between the putschists and the Niger Armed Forces. The fact is that the entire officer corps of the Niger army was trained in the States, and the Americans counted on the loyalty of some of the military. It is not for nothing that Victoria Nuland, who arrived in Niamey in August, unlike representatives of France and the ECOWAS delegation, was received by the new military authorities, namely Brigadier General of the Niger Army Moussa Barmu, who at one time was educated at the US National Defense University (Washington). However, the Americans' hopes were not destined to come true. It turned out the other way around. The ultimatums regarding Niamey provided an opportunity for the new authorities to mobilize society and elites as never before and prepare for a possible military intervention by ECOWAS. The example of General Barmu is very indicative. The American press wrote about him: “One of the United States’ favorite generals is leading a coup in Niger.” When it came to the fact that Niger could lose military, food and humanitarian aid from the United States if it refuses to fulfill the conditions for returning power to the previous government, he responded to The Wall Street Journal: “If this is the price of our sovereignty, so be it.” " WASHINGTON'S EPIPHANY The Americans “suddenly” realized with all obviousness that objective hatred of the French in Africa and its consequences in the form of a series of military coups and political coups significantly outweighed all sorts of advantages from working with such an ally. Such an “ally” threatens the success and very expediency of the presence of the West as such on the Dark Continent and at the same time opens a wide window of opportunity both for competitors (Arabs, Indians) and for direct geopolitical opponents (Chinese, Russians, Iranians). Even though the US has spent over $500 million on arming and equipping the Niger Armed Forces; built the largest military base in the region, in the north of Niger (Agadez), specializing in UAVs; in fact, they brought their faithful ally Mohamed Bazoum to power in the country - nevertheless, the Americans decided to wisely enter into a dialogue with the new military authorities. If the French insist on an uncompromising line and “suffocation” of military democracies through sanctions and blocking borders, then the Americans are ready to conduct a dialogue with the new authorities. Take, for example, the last ECOWAS summit held in December last year. Although the Pentagon, led by Lloyd Austin, has threatened to dismantle its military base unless an agreement is reached with the junta on a precise timetable for the transfer of power to civilians, the State Department acknowledged the coup last October and maintained diplomatic relations with Niamey. The new US Ambassador, Kathleen Fitzgibbon, took office on December 2 and presented her credentials to General Abdurahaman Ciani. Washington's only measure against the new Niger authorities was a freeze on financial cooperation. NEW AMERICAN STRATEGY Using the situation with Niger as an example, the Americans drew final conclusions. They refused to support France and, moreover, decided that the collapse of pro-French regimes in Africa would open up more operational space for them on the continent. Not only is the Anglo-Saxon media actively using anti-colonial rhetoric directed against Paris, but recently Americans have directly or indirectly been behind a number of obvious anti-French protests in Africa. In particular, the coup in Gabon that happened in August last year can partly be considered as a soft version of a change in the orientation of the country's political authorities within one clan - from Paris to Washington. What follows is even more interesting. The Americans drew conclusions and completely updated their own strategy, at least in the West African subregion, as they publicly stated from the pages of The Wall Street Journal: “ We have no choice but to retreat and operate from the coastal West African states.” The point is that the United States stopped all military programs with Niger, and reduced its military contingent at the base in Agadez to a minimum number. Formally, thus recognizing equally the failure of the previous approach (the bet on an alliance with France, where Paris played the first fiddle), and its own withdrawal from the Sahel region. The United States decided that it would be more effective to place military bases in coastal countries - thus blocking the growth of influence of Russia and other competitors in the region. No logistics, no influence. No access to the sea, no logistics. Burkina Faso and Mali, as well as their armed forces, were never initially considered capable of successfully countering jihadists by American experts. But the US’s bet on Niger’s army special forces did not pay off; there was a coup there and a pro-Russian course for the new military government was outlined. Which clearly “disappointed” the Americans and forced them to change their strategy. The new strategy is military cooperation and the placement of bases in several coastal countries of West Africa. New potential allies (and military bases as a result) in the region include Benin, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. This time no one will ask the French for their opinion. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal's supreme court upholds prison term for Dakar mayor |
| 2023-12-24 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... 's supreme court on Friday confirmed a prison sentence handed down to the mayor of Dakar, convicted of killing a man during a wave of political violence in 2011. However, the hip bone's connected to the leg bone... Barthelemy Dias, a fierce opponent of President Macky Sall, will not be jugged Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! , as his sentence was covered by the pre-trial detention he served. The sentence upheld is a six-month prison term and an 18-month suspended sentence. His lawyer, Cire Cledor Ly, said the sentence would not cost the opposition figure his post as mayor of the capital, but could threaten his seat in the National Assembly. "The court rejects the appeal lodged by Barthelemy Toye Dias, the mayor of Dakar," the court's president Abdourahmane Diouf announced. Dias was not required to attend the reading of the judgment.Dias must also pay 25 million FCFA francs (around 38,000 euros) to the heirs of Ndiaga Diouf. He was rubbed out on 22 December 2011 during an attack on the town hall in Mermoz Sacre-Coeur, one of the capital's communes, by alleged supporters of the ruling party under the then presidency of Abdoulaye Wade. Dias was mayor of the that district of the city at the time. He accuses those in power of having resurrected this affair to hinder the 2024 presidential election bid of the former mayor of Dakar and close ally, Khalifa Sall. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal: 4 soldiers killed in the explosion of an anti-tank mine in Casamance |
| 2023-12-16 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Four Senegalese soldiers were killed in Casamance when their vehicle hit an anti-tank mine in this region of southern Senegal in the grip of an independence rebellion, according to the army. The incident occurred on Thursday "during a mission" in North Bignona, near the Gambian border, and also left "three injured", indicated the Directorate of Public Relations of the Armed Forces (Dirpa) in a press release on X (formerly Twitter). Asked by AFP, Dirpa did not provide further details on the circumstances of the accident. For several months, the army has been carrying out security operations against rebels from the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) who are demanding the independence of this border region of Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Casamance is the scene of one of the oldest rebellions on the African continent since separatists took to the underground with rudimentary weapons after the repression of an MFDC march in December 1982. After causing thousands of victims and devastating the economy, the conflict persisted slowly. The last time the Senegalese army communicated about the death of one of its soldiers was in January 2023, but military operations have continued since. In recent years, the Senegalese authorities have undertaken to resettle the displaced after announcing the destruction of several rebel bases, particularly on the border with Guinea-Bissau. Senegalese President Macky Sall, elected in 2012 and then re-elected in 2019, has made peace in Casamance one of his priorities. Several peace agreements, which quickly became obsolete, were signed between the Senegalese government and rebels. One of the last announcements was concluded in August 2022 in Bissau between the State and rebel leader César Atoute Badiate, following mediation by the Guinea-Bissau head of state Umaro Sissoco Embalo. Related: Casamance: 2018-01-07 13 killed, 7 wounded by gunmen Senegal's restive Casamance region Casamance: 2013-05-14 Nigeria Court Convicts Iranian of Illegal Arms Shipment Casamance: 2012-10-22 Six killed in Guinea Bissau fire fight Related: Senegal: 2023-12-10 Mali: Minusma hands over one of its last camps to the authorities Senegal: 2023-12-06 Stunning images show Arizona border crossing overrun by massive surge of adult male migrants from across globe Senegal: 2023-12-04 Guinea-Bissau president calls deadly violence 'attempted coup' Related: Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance: 2018-01-07 13 killed, 7 wounded by gunmen Senegal's restive Casamance region Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance: 2006-12-22 Gunmen kill two soldiers in Senegal Related: Gambia: 2023-12-04 Guinea-Bissau president calls deadly violence 'attempted coup' Gambia: 2023-12-01 Gambian Death Squad Member Convicted in Germany for Crimes Against Humanity Gambia: 2023-11-24 Senegal: opposition leader Sonko ends hunger strike Related: Guinea-Bissau: 2023-12-09 Pro-Palestinian activists bemoan tight restrictions on protest at Dubai’s COP28 Guinea-Bissau: 2023-12-07 Sierra Leone arrests ex-president's guard over failed coup Guinea-Bissau: 2023-12-05 Guinea-Bissau: Parliament dissolved after 'coup attempt' Related: Macky Sall: 2023-08-09 Expelled from Senegal, Ousmane Sonko's lawyer Juan Branco returns to France Macky Sall: 2023-08-07 Senegal MPs clear the way for opposition figures to fight election Macky Sall: 2023-07-29 Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko arrested Related: Bissau: 2023-12-10 Mali: Minusma hands over one of its last camps to the authorities Bissau: 2023-12-09 Pro-Palestinian activists bemoan tight restrictions on protest at Dubai’s COP28 Bissau: 2023-12-07 Sierra Leone arrests ex-president's guard over failed coup |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Expelled from Senegal, Ousmane Sonko's lawyer Juan Branco returns to France |
| 2023-08-09 |
| [AFRICANEWS] French-Spanish lawyer Juan Branco, deported on Monday from Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... where he was arrested and imprisoned for defending opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, arrived at Gay Paree' Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport on Tuesday morning, raising his fist to the press but making no statement. He arrived shortly before 9:00 a.m. and was greeted by members of his family and a few supporters, AFP journalists observed. "Juan Branco, you are our warrior", said a woman, filming and following him, as did a few others. The lawyer raised his fist, but did not speak to the press. He got into a cab as soon as he left the airport. Me Branco has been the target of a Senegalese judicial investigation since mid-July, and was arrested in Mauritania on Sunday after several days of searching. Handed over to the Senegalese authorities, who accuse him of having entered the country illegally, he was charged on Sunday with attack, conspiracy, spreading false news and acts and maneuvers likely to compromise public security or cause serious political unrest, according to his lawyers. In Senegal, the Franco-Spanish lawyer is taking part in the defense of Ousmane Sonko, a Senegalese opponent engaged since 2021 in a tug-of-war with the authorities and the judiciary that has given rise to several episodes of deadly violence. He attracted particular attention in June when he announced a complaint in La Belle France and asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to open an investigation against President Macky Sall for "crimes against humanity", at a time when the country had just experienced its worst unrest in years. "No lawyer should be hindered in his mission, wherever he is and whoever he is," had written on X (ex Twitter) the Gay Paree bâtonnière, Julie Couturier. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal MPs clear the way for opposition figures to fight election |
| 2023-08-07 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Deputies in Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... 's parliament have passed a vote which will effectively restores the right of two key opposition figures to run in the country's presidential election, due in February The vote clears any person who has been convicted but then either pardons or amnesties them to run for office. The decision allows opposition heavyweights Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade to stand. In parliament Interior Minister Antoine Félix Abdoulaye Diome, explained: "The bill does not only concern the modification of article L28-3, which allows the convicted person to regain his or her rights by being reintroduced onto the electoral roll once the remaining period of the sentence for which a pardon was granted has expired. Beyond this, there were other advances resulting from the national dialogue." Sall, a former mayor of Dakar and Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, have been considered for the presidential vote, due next year. Neither could run in the 2019 presidential election because of separate convictions on financial issues. But they may now be able to stand in next February's poll. Member of the presidential majority, Yeya Diallo, praised the president's efforts in bringing about the bill. "This bill aims to revise the electoral code. "As we have all seen, President Macky Sall initiated a national dialogue, which resulted in a decision to revise the Constitution and the electoral code." 2019 victor, Macky Sall, is completing his second term in office and is ineligible to run again. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko arrested |
| 2023-07-29 |
| [AFRICANEWS] Leading Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... ese opposition politician Ousmane Sonko was arrested on Friday, members of his party and a security bigshot told AFP, although no precise reasons were given. "Ousmane Sonko was arrested. There were armed police outside his house," said Ousseynou Ly, a front man for Sonko's PASTEF party. Djibril Gueye Ndiaye, the firebrand ... firebrandsare noted more for audio volume and the quantity of spittle generated than for any actual logic in their arguments... politician's head of protocol, said the gendarmes (police) came and "took" him. A security bigshot confirmed to AFP that Sonko had been arrested but did not specify the reasons. The reported arrest happened in late afternoon on Friday, a national holiday in Senegal. In a message posted on Twitter, which is being rebranded as X, Juan Branco, the French lawyer representing Sonko, said the politician had been locked up in a courthouse basement. On Friday evening, several police vehicles including two anti-riot trucks were parked outside the main courthouse in Dakar, AFP journalists reported. People were gathering outside Sonko's home in the capital, they said. Sonko, a presidential challenger to the incumbent head of state Macky Sall, was sentenced in absentia in June to two years in prison for morally corrupting a young woman, a conviction that renders him ineligible to stand in next year's election. The case sparked sporadic unrest that stretched over two years. They culminated in fatal festivities at the time of his conviction that left 16 dead according to the government, 24 according to On July 24, a security detail that had confined Sonko to his Dakar home was lifted. It had been in place since May 28. Earlier on Friday afternoon, Sonko had said on social media that security forces stationed outside his home had been filming him. He said he had taken one of the phones and demanded the images be deleted -- a request which was denied. |
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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal's under-fire president vows to 'strengthen' democracy |
| 2023-06-21 |
| [Al Ahram] Senegal ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... ese President Macky Sall on Tuesday vowed to strengthen "democracy and freedom" in his country, in his first public reaction to deadly unrest sparked by the conviction of a popular opposition leader. "We will pursue our march towards economic development and the strengthening of democracy and freedom in Senegal, with respect of course for the state of law," Sall said on a state visit to Portugal. "I will make sure that Senegal adheres to the most important democratic standards," he said after a meeting with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Senegal is still reeling from violence between June 1-3 that caused at least 16 deaths, according to the authorities. The bloodshed has shaken the West African state's image for stability, in a region notorious for coups and turmoil. Protests were triggered by the conviction and sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in jail on charges of "corrupting" a young beauty salon worker, a conviction that will make him ineligible for the 2024 presidential elections. Sonko is Sall's fiercest critic, accusing him of sitting at the top of a corrupt elite and nurturing plans to install a dictatorship. Sall was elected in 2012, when the presidential term was seven years, and re-elected in 2019 after the term was reduced to five years under a constitutional change. Presidents cannot serve for more than two "consecutive" terms,but Sall's supporters say the clock has been reset after the constitution was revised in 2016. Sall, in Lisbon, also promised to ensure "that our country is not destabilised, whatever the source of this will to destabilise. We will monitor this very closely," he said. "Our economic profile has become very attractive. This year we are going to start extracting oil and gas. That may also be the reason for all this frenzy," he suggested. |
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