President Macky Sall's decision to postpone the presidential election provoked a surge of anger among the inhabitants of Senegal while the opposition denounced a "constitutional coup d'état".
Except that the situation seems to be calming down.
On Thursday, the country's Constitutional Council decided to invalidate the postponement of the election to December 15 and demand that it be held "as soon as possible".
A decision which was accepted by President Sall.
And for the first time in two months, the government authorized a march by opponents in the streets of Dakar.
Wearing black T-shirts marked with the name of the civil society collective that called for the march, “Aar Sunu Election” (“Let’s protect our election”), or draped in the colors of Senegal, the demonstrators brandished signs on which one could read in particular: “Respect for the electoral calendar”, “No to the constitutional coup d’état”, “Free Senegal”.
Well done Dakar!
Succeeding in this mobilization on a Saturday morning shows the determination you have to ensure that the electoral calendar is respected.
Let's continue to maintain the pressure. #FreeSenegal pic.twitter.com/hTNBcNAAXS
— 🇸🇳⭐ (@FapatrioteS) February 17, 2024
The gendarmes who patrolled the entire area of the march did not wear riot gear, unlike previous banned demonstrations.
“The watchword today is mobilization,” declared Malick Gakou, presidential candidate who is participating in the march.
“The State of Senegal no longer has the right to make mistakes and it must organize the election in March so that the handover of service between President Sall and the new president can take place on April 2,” date of the end of the mandate of the head of state.
#FreeSenegal - Dakar now peaceful demonstration.
When it's authorized there are no excesses.
📹 @SahelNewsof #SunuElection2024 https://t.co/7sVvVPvXj6 pic.twitter.com/Y15QkseKzX
— Abdou Junior Cisse (@AbdouJCisse) February 17, 2024
The president's decision to comply with the opinion of the Constitutional Council "takes a lot of stress away from us", said one of the demonstrators, Maestro El Kangam, a 34-year-old rapper, draped in the colors of Senegal.
He immediately adds: "Personally I don't have confidence in him and I'm waiting to see if he will respect his word, if he does he will at least leave through the front door."
Previous demonstrations organized to oppose the postponement and the vote of deputies setting the date of the poll for December 15, all banned, had given rise to violence and numerous arrests.
Three people were killed on February 9.