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Senegal is dealing with its worst political disaster in a long time after President Macky Sall abruptly deferred the 25 February presidential vote simply hours earlier than campaigning was because of start.
The Constitutional Council overturned the delay, and Sall, whose second time period is scheduled to finish on 2 April, launched two days of talks to set a brand new ballot date.
He introduced the amnesty invoice at first of what he known as a “nationwide dialogue” on Monday, suggesting it might reunite the nation.
“Within the spirit of nationwide reconciliation, I’ll put earlier than the Nationwide Meeting this Wednesday a invoice for a basic amnesty for acts referring to political demonstrations that passed off between 2021 and 2024,” Sall stated on Monday.
“This can make it attainable to pacify the political area,” he added.
In response to some rights teams, greater than 1,000 folks have been arrested since 2021 in the course of the energy wrestle between opposition chief Ousmane Sonko and the state. Sonko and his get together’s substitute candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, are each in jail.
In the meantime, the authorities have launched tons of of detainees previously 10 days.
Cheikh Anta Diop College within the capital, Dakar, additionally reopened its campus on Monday after being closed for months.
The concept of an amnesty has proved divisive amongst each authorities and opposition supporters.
Some critics recommend it might excuse violent crimes dedicated by demonstrators, whereas the opposition camp fears it will likely be used to exonerate authorities and safety officers for the deaths of protesters.
No ‘private agenda’
The three February choice to postpone the presidential elections plunged historically secure Senegal into turmoil, with 4 folks killed within the ensuing clashes.
Sall, in energy since 2012, stated he known as off the vote over disputes in regards to the disqualification of potential candidates and fears of a return to unrest as in 2021 and 2023. The opposition known as it a “constitutional coup”.
In his opening speech on Monday within the new city of Diamniadio, about 30km from Dakar, Sall reiterated he has no plans to hunt reelection and no “private agenda”.
“I’d like to depart,” he stated.
“I’ve just one concern – to discover a consensus on the date of the following presidential election in order that the poll can happen underneath the absolute best circumstances.”
Nevertheless, Sall forged doubt on the feasibility of staging polls earlier than the tip of his time period. He proposed the vote might be held by the beginning of the wet season in June or July.
He additionally acknowledged that solely two of the 19 certified candidates had accepted his invitation to the dialogue – together with his handpicked successor, Prime Minister Amadou Ba.
One of many boycotters, Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, described the assembly as “theatre”.
He and several other different would-be presidential contenders have requested the Constitutional Court docket to formally maintain Sall accountable for not fulfilling his responsibility to organise the ballot.
Common strike
The Aar Sunu Election (Shield Our Election) collective of greater than 100 civil society teams additionally boycotted the talks and has known as for a basic strike on Tuesday.
Some concern an influence vacuum if Sall leaves earlier than a successor is put in, and have known as for a vote earlier than 2 April.
“President Macky Sall has simply over 30 days left to run and we nonetheless don’t know once we’re going to decide on one other president,” protester Mohamed Al Amine Toure stated at a rally in Dakar over the weekend. Others accuse Sall of delaying additional scrutiny of candidates and shopping for time for political allies.
Opposition determine Sonko has been in jail since July 2023 for calling for an rebellion, associating with criminals linked to terrorism and harming state safety. The Constitutional Court docket rejected Sonko’s candidacy however accepted that of Faye, the Pastef get together’s quantity two, together with about 20 others.
Faye has been underneath preventive detention since April final yr however has but to face trial. This month, his supporters known as for “all political prisoners who’ve been locked up unjustly to be instantly launched”.
Sall, who insists there are no political prisoners in Senegal, stated he hopes to achieve an settlement on the date of the polls by the tip of the talks on Tuesday.
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