the opposition mobilizes against the indefinite postponement of the presidential election, first clashes in Dakar

Candidates have announced their intention to override this decision, calling in particular for a march in Dakar on Sunday.

She rejects the announcement of outgoing President Macky Sall. In Senegal, the opposition called for demonstrations on Sunday, February 4, and plans to launch its electoral campaign as planned, despite the Senegalese leader’s decision to postpone indefinitely the presidential election scheduled for February 25. This postponement caused an outcry, as well as strong concern abroad.

Several opposition candidates announced that they would override this decision. “We systematically reject the decree [reportant la présidentielle]. We are meeting all Senegalese people this Sunday for a march.” in Dakar, Cheikh Tidiane Youm, an opposition spokesperson, said on RFM radio.

In Dakar, tear gas shots and stone throwing

“We came together and agreed to come together from 3 p.m. to start our campaign collectively”, declared Habib Sy, one of the 20 candidates who were to compete in the ballot, on the same radio. Senegalese opponent Khalifa Sall, one of the main candidates, called on the country on Saturday to “get up” against the postponement of the vote.

Sunday afternoon, hundreds of people came to demonstrate after the call from these opposition figures. In Dakar, gendarmes dispersed the demonstrators with tear gas, before being stoned, AFP journalists noted. Young people chanting “Macky Sall dictator!” undertook to erect roadblocks with makeshift means. One of the presidential candidates, Daouda Ndiaye, posted a message on social networks in which he claims to have been “brutalized” by the police, and reports that some of his collaborators were “arrested”.

Macky Sall announced on Saturday, a few hours before the official opening of the campaign, to repeal the decree setting the presidential election for February 25. This is the first time since 1963 that a presidential election by direct universal suffrage has been postponed in Senegal.