opponents Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye released from prison, 10 days before the election

Ousmane Sonko Bassirou Diomaye Faye are free. Senegal’s most popular opponent and candidate for the presidential election are released from prison, Thursday March 14. “They came out in front of us. That’s it”one of their lawyers, Cheikh Koureyssi Ba, rejoiced to AFP.

Immediately, cars and pedestrians waving Senegalese flags took over the access road to the Cap Manuel prison, south of the capital, where the two opponents were detained. Even before the release from prison, the news of which spread like wildfire on social networks, crowds of Dakar residents took to the streets to celebrate, sing and dance. “Gnoune Sonko lanou beug”(“We love Sonko”), chanted their supporters in Ouolof near the prison. A large crowd also gathered near Ousmane Sonko’s home, in another district of the capital a few kilometers away.

In January, Ousmane Sonko, the main actor in a deadly standoff with power since 2021, was disqualified from the presidential election by the Constitutional Council. His camp, with his consent, had therefore designated Bassirou Diomaye Faye as candidate in his place. His candidacy is one of the 19 selected for the March 24 ballot.