In Senegal, the main opposition coalition Yewwi Askan wi (YAW- Liberate the People), demonstrated on Tuesday, March 14, before the opening of the trial of Ousmane Sonko on Thursday, March 16. The latter is accused of “defamation, insults and counterfeit” by the Minister of Tourism Mame Mbaye Niang, an supervisor of the presidential party. If he is found guilty, he can kiss his desire to run for the presidency in February 2024.
These protest marches aim to denounce the “arbitrary arrests” of journalists and political actors and “the instrumentalization of justice against opponents,” according to the organizers. Thousands of Senegalese opposition supporters gathered on Tuesday in Dakar, at the call of a “giga meeting” of one of hishleaders, they protested against any attempt to disqualify the candidate Ousmane Sonko from the February 2024 presidential election.
Indeed, the legal cases opened against the opponent Ousmane Sonko are a source of tension in a Senegal that is democratically considered stable, while we are less than a year away from the presidential elections. Macky Sall’s main opponent, Ousmane Sonko is in the center of the country’s judicial news. If it is not a case of alleged rape that makes him turn in the courts, it is rather another case of “defamation” that may tarnish his next candidacy in the elections of 2024.
“Macky Sall should not even try to block the candidacy of Ousmane Sonko for the presidential election in February 2024,” warned Habib Sy, president of the Conference of Leaders of the coalition.
For having been disqualified during the presidential election of 2019 because of a court decision against him, the former mayor of Dakar Khalifa Sall, reassures “Ousmane Sonko should not be the third victim of Macky Sall.
Ousmane Sonko, for his part, called for a large mobilization in his favor on Thursday, March 16 at the Dakar court where the trial of the leader of the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Brotherhood (Pastef) is being held. “Macky Sall must understand that this country does not belong to him. He doesn’t have the right to choose who should be a candidate or not. Nothing will prevent me from being a candidate for the presidential election of 2024,” he assured the thousands of activists on site.
Note that the opposition intends to maintain the pressure. Marches are also announced for this Wednesday, March 15 in all departments of the country.
