After series of Uncertainties: One of West Africa’s most Democratic Nations Goes to the Pool in a Tightly Contested Presidential Race on Sunday March 24th 2024

By Abdul Rahman Bangura-

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS (NADN) Freetown, Sierra Leone– …after much doubting-Thomases that marshals President Macky Sall’s delayed tactics on the February 25th, 2024, elections until the end of the year, that raised a lot of tensions and violent sparking violent protests. And the recent U-turn leads up to Sunday’s vote, top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was released from prison last week, triggering jubilant celebrations on the streets of Dakar and renewed excitement about the contest.

Sunday’s election is set to be Senegal’s 4th democratic transfer of power since it gained independence from France in 1960. The French West-Africa nation is perceived as a pillar of stability in a region that has seen dozens of coups and attempted coups in recent years.

Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom, a Senegalese think tank, relayed to the media that, Sunday’s election had set a straight record in the nation’s democratic history, with rights groups accusing Sall’s Administration of repressing the media, civil society and the opposition.

“It was the longest and most violent presidential election process, with the most deaths, injuries and political detainees,” said Tine.

Human Rights Watch said nearly 1,000 opposition members and activists have been arrested across the country in the last three years. But in a recent interview with the Media, Sall denied that he’s trying to hold on to power.

19 candidates in the race, the highest number in Senegal’s history. These encircle an erstwhile prime minister, a close ally of Sonko — who was barred from running — and a former mayor of Dakar. A runoff between leading candidates is widely anticipated. Irrespective of the violent upheavals in recent months, analysts say unemployment is the chief concern for a majority of Senegalese. Around half of Senegal’s population of 17 million are under 18, according to Afrobarometer, an independent survey research group.

“The big question right now for the Senegalese election is how are we going to break out of poverty,” said Marième Wone Ly, a former Senegalese political party leader. “We can’t see the

About a third of Senegalese live in poverty, World Bank data shows. Thousands have fled towards the West in search of economic opportunity, undertaking risky and often deadly journeys.

Analysts say Amadou Ba, a former Prime Minister, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is backed by Sonko, are likely to emerge amongst the front-runners. Faye was same freed from prison last week, in time to spend the final days of the run-up to Sunday’s vote on the campaign trail.

Sonko was disqualified from the ballot in January thus… a prior conviction for defamation, Senegal’s highest election authority said at the time. His supporters maintain his legal troubles are part of a government effort to ban his candidacy. He has faced many legal troubles that started when he was accused of rape in 2021. He was acquitted of the charge but was convicted of corrupting youth and sentenced to two years in prison last summer, that stimulated deadly protests across Senegal.

Senegal was gripped by deadly unrest last summer when protesters took to the streets over concerns that Sall would seek a third term in office. Constitutional reforms prohibit a president from serving more than two consecutive terms as decided by a 2016 referendum. Sall eventually ruled out a third term.

Other contenders for top spots in the race are Idrissa Seck, who has run in previous races and served as Prime Minister some 20 years ago before being sacked and briefly jailed over corruption allegations, and Khalifa Sall, a former mayor of Dakar and longtime opposition figure Sall and the president are not related.

Anta Babacar Ngom – the first woman to run for president in years, is the only female presidential candidate in the race, but few expect her to gain a significant share of the vote. Sall’s surprise navigate to release Sonko and Faye has aided to deescalate tensions that had escalated in recent months. Election observers say Sunday’s vote is more likely to be peaceful.

“Loosening the knot has tempered things a little and has brought a bit of calm to the public arena,” stated Rokhiatou Gassama – a Civil Society Election Observer. “According to my analysis, we’re going to have a peaceful election.”

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Bangura Reports, Africa Correspondent