Clashes broke out on Sunday in Dakar between security forces and demonstrators protesting against the unprecedented postponement of the presidential election announced the day before by Head of State Macky Sall. Niagalé Bagayoko, doctor of political science and president of the African security sector, points out “a maneuver by the president”.
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Senegal plunged into the unknown on Saturday February 3 and Sunday February 4 with the announcement of the postponement of the presidential election. “There was a particularly forceful response to the protests that erupted following President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the presidential voteconfirms Niagalé Bagayoko, doctor of political science, specialist in security issues in French-speaking Africa and president of the African security sector, a network of researchers and organizations specializing in African issues.
Men and women of all ages, waving Senegal flags or wearing the jersey of the national football team, converged early Sunday afternoon towards a roundabout on one of the main roads. of the capital. The gendarmes, deployed in large numbers, unleashed heavy fire with tear gas to disperse them. “There was the arrest of a former Prime Minister, Aminata Touré, and the suspension of the television channel of one of the main media, continues the researcher. These measures are a sad reminder of the violence of the repression which fell on the demonstrations in March 2021 and June 2023.
Elections postponed “sine die”
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. Does he plan to retain power with this decision? “This is what is worrying today, says Niagalé Bagayoko. He postponed this election ‘sine die’. His term is set to end on April 2. And all the protests that have taken place over the last two years have been aimed at opposing the possibility of him running for a third term.” The Senegalese see in this report “a maneuver by the president, if not to maintain himself at the head of state, at least to encourage the emergence of a candidate who would be close to him in order to maintain control over a certain number of issues”concludes Niagalé Bagayoko.
