Supporters of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko held a peaceful protest over the weekend, despite a ban by authorities. Sonko, who is under house arrest, publicly confirmed he would run in next year's presidential elections.
Ousmane Sonko appeared outside his home on Saturday evening to kick off the protest, "symbolically" banging pots for several minutes, dressed in red in a sign of anger.
The 49-year-old Senegalese opposition politician was unanimously voted as the PASTEF-Patriots' party candidate for the 25 February 2024 presidential elections last week.
Facing legal battles, he has been confined by security forces to his home in Dakar since 28 May.
The governor of Dakar banned the PASTEF party's nomination rally due to the "risk of disturbing public order".
Sonko told supporters "another date" would be chosen.
— Ousmane Sonko (@SonkoOfficiel) July 15, 2023
Instead, Sonko defiantly filmed himself and broadcast the video from his Facebook account to ask President Macky Sall "to leave office in peace".
Many of his supporters joined the noisy protest in several districts of the capital Dakar, and in major towns all over the country, including his own city of Ziguinchor, in the south, and Mbacke in the centre.
In Dakar's Parcelles Assainies area, Sonko supporter Malick Diedhiou took part to "send a message of peace," he said, and show that "what the state is doing against Sonko" is "illegal."
📌 Casseroles au Senegal pour Ousmane sonko 🇸🇳 pic.twitter.com/XetSnfxDaR
— Dame Tague ❤️ 💙🥰🤝 (@DameTague1) July 15, 2023
Legal struggles
Sonko claims that President Macky Sall is "trying to eradicate PASTEF", and to prevent him "from being a presidential candidate".
He has warned of "indescribable chaos" if he is prevented from running for the top job.
Sonko's nomination came despite lingering questions over his eligibility due to criminal convictions and prison sentences.
He was handed a two-year term following a trial on charges of sexual abuse of a beauty salon worker on 1 June.
Buy it is still unclear whether this sentence, which can be appealed to the Supreme Court, makes him ineligible.
His convictions sparked deadly clashes in May and June between his supporters and the security forces, spawning the worst unrest Senegal has seen in years.
Legal analysts and Sonko's own lawyers said this conviction rules him out from being a candidate, but Sonko insists that he remains eligible for the election, despite the legal proceedings.
Extraordinary parliamentary session
Meanwhile, this Monday, Senegalese MPs have gathered in the parliament to vote on a few bills regarding the presidential election.
This comes after President Sall promised not to run for a potential third term and concluded a national dialogue with a part of the opposition.
The parliament is expected to vote on constitutional changes and to remove the ineligibility of a few other prominent opponents and potential presidential candidates, including Karim Wade and former mayor of Dakar Khalifa Sall.
The opposition hopes these vote will help secure a more peaceful electoral process.
(with AFP)
