FOLLOWING four days of protests and violence, Dakar has returned to a state of relative calm. While the presidential camp places blame on the protesters, the opposition denounces what it considers an ‘abuse of power.’ Opponent and presidential candidate Idrissa Seck is calling for calm and urging Senegalese President Macky Sall to clarify his intentions for the upcoming presidential election in order to prevent further violence.
In an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI), Seck expressed concerns about the possibility of a third term and its impact, saying, ‘The problem with a third term is that even the prospect of it is causing turmoil.’ He added, ‘We are seeing violence and upheaval in our typically peaceful streets. We have seen death. This is not good for our people. Nor is it good for Senegal’s global reach. This situation will only worsen if President Macky Sall announces a bid for a third term. It would be unprecedented and deeply damaging for Senegal.’
Protesters are angry at President Macky Sall for refusing to rule out running for a third term, despite the two-term presidential limit in Senegal. At least 16 people have died in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, with the violence spreading to Zinguinchor in the Casamance region in the south of the country. The Red Cross in Senegal reported that nearly 360 people were injured in the violence.
The unrest began after the opposition leader and mayor of Zinguinchor, Ousmane Sonko, was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of ‘corrupting’ a young woman. Sonko’s supporters believe the conviction to be politically motivated to prevent him from running for president and have condemned what they perceive as ‘murderous repression’ by national security forces. Sonko’s party, PASTEF, also criticised the government’s restriction of mobile internet to prevent the sharing of ‘subversive messages.’
Idrissa Seck, a former head of the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council in Senegal, emphasised that only a clear indication from President Sall that he will not run for a third term will appease the Senegalese people, especially the youth. He stated, ‘I pray, I believe and expect that President Sall will not run at all.’ Seck, who announced his intention to run for president in the next election, scheduled for February 2024, is participating in the ‘national dialogue’ initiated by President Sall. However, most other opposition parties, including Sonko’s, are boycotting the dialogue.
Seck stressed the need to protect democracy and hopes to rally the opposition around him. ‘It’s the priority of the government to maintain peace and stability. So, I call on all opposition leaders to focus on that too,’ he said