IN a controversial move, authorities in Senegal took decisive action on Sunday, suspending the signal of the private television station Walf TV, accusing it of inciting violence. The suspension, initiated by the communication ministry in consultation with the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council, came after the station allegedly broadcast images of protests in the capital, Dakar. The demonstrations were in response to the sudden postponement of the presidential elections, initially slated for February.
Ousseynou Dieng, the communications director of the ministry, explained that the decision to cut off Walf TV’s signal was made due to its perceived role in ‘inciting violence.’ Wal Fadjri, the privately owned media group behind Walf TV, confirmed the withdrawal of its licence on social networks following communication from a ministry official.
Tensions escalated in Dakar on Sunday as clashes erupted between security forces and protesters expressing their discontent over the election delay. Video footage shared on social media captured police firing tear gas canisters to disperse demonstrators led by opposition figures. The unrest unfolded following President Macky Sall’s announcement on Saturday, indefinitely suspending the presidential election scheduled for February 25. Sall cited a dispute over the candidate list and alleged corruption involving constitutional judges as reasons for the postponement.
Protestors, denouncing Sall as a ‘dictator,’ barricaded roads and set tyres ablaze, accusing him of using ‘fallacious reasons’ to delay the election at the eleventh hour before campaign commencement. Reports from local media indicated the arrest of several opposition figures, including former Prime Minister Aminata Toure, during Sunday’s protests.
As tensions escalate, lawmakers are set to convene on Monday to deliberate on a bill proposing a six-month postponement of the presidential election. Last month, the Senegalese Constitutional Council had approved 20 candidates for the election, with campaigns scheduled to kick off on February 4. The situation remains fluid as Senegal grapples with a complex political landscape amid widespread concerns over the democratic process.