REPORTING. “Macky Sall, the dictator!”, chant Senegalese demonstrators after the announcement of the indefinite postponement of the presidential election

A wave of anger has been spreading since Sunday evening in Senegal. The main opposition candidates are calling for protests against this announcement, seen as a new attempt by the president to stay in power. Last summer, he had already tried to negotiate a third term.

The meeting point of the demonstration, on a main road which connects several suburbs to Dakar, was quickly drowned in tear gas on the evening of Sunday February 4. The population dispersed into the streets where hundreds of small groups set up barricades, burned trash cans and tires with the same slogan everywhere: “Macky Sall, the dictator!”

This postponement of the elections indefinitely, when the electoral campaign was to begin, is seen here as a provocation. “He promised us that he was going to serve two five-year terms, he lied and he wants us to stay quiet”protests a demonstrator. “Macky Sall must leave, says another very angry one. We will fight until the end.”

“He carried out a constitutional coup.”

A Senegalese protester

at franceinfo

“I voted for him and he either kills us or imprisons usregrets a third who assures him: We stay here. There will be an election on February 25!”.

“I feel trampled by this diet”

It is mainly young people who take to the streets, activists, representatives of civil society, residents of Dakar and among them, many women. “I feel trampled by this regime which takes away what I hold most dear, my voice, explains this protester. Being able to express myself and freely choose the president of this country, that’s what made me come out, she continues. There is the risk of dying but I am not afraid of death. And we will win. We are going to hold the elections, we are going to elect the president of this country naturally, we will have the change that we hope for.”

Faced with the police, the demonstrators scattered into the streets. The opponent and former Prime Minister Aminata Touré was arrested, a television channel is suspended. Thierno Alassane Sall, MP and opposition candidate, stops in a street black with smoke and addresses France. “We cannot accept that the constitution of Senegal is violated. Those who condemned what happened in Mali and Burkina must also condemn what is happening in Senegal”he calls. “There is a lot of responsibility on France’s part. We didn’t want the French. Leave! Leave us!”shouts a man.

“We must fight for our freedom”

“We live in precariousness, we live in extreme poverty. We must fight for our freedom. All the presidents are under the control of Westerners. We want to gain our definitive independence”, another man explains calmly. This speech, by activists who speak of economic imperialism, of France’s control over Africa, is that of Ousmane Sonko. The main opponent in this election was not allowed to run, he is in prison. His party was dissolved, but his replacement, also incarcerated, campaigns from his cell and massively mobilizes young people.

Monday morning, the deputies meet in plenary session to examine this bill which could, according to the elected representatives of the majority, postpone the elections to August 25. A date when the country is plunged into winter. In other words, in the middle of the rainy season, with flooded schools, inaccessible roads, difficulties finding polling stations. The opposition fears that these technical difficulties will lead to Macky Sall’s mandate being extended until the end of the year. Several appeals must be filed in the coming days. The Senegalese electoral code specifies that a decree modifying a presidential election must be published at least 80 days before the vote. The demonstrators meet in front of the building.