Senegal opposition vows more efforts to unseat Wade

DAKAR (AFP) - Senegal's opposition mulled its next move Wednesday in trying to force President Abdoulaye Wade to abandon his reelection bid, a day after a rally descended into rioting that left one dead.

The June 23 Movement (M23) which unites opposition and civil society groups against the 85-year-old leader's controversial attempt to seek a third term in February 26 despite a legal cap of two, declared Tuesday's protest a success.

"Our capacity for mobilisation has not been contradicted, the movement achieved maximum mobilisation," M23 spokesman Abdoul Aziz Diop said of the thousands-strong rally.

Organisers and witnesses estimated the crowd at more than 10,000 but presidential spokesman Serigne Mbacke Ndiaye dismissed the protest as a failure and evidence that Wade commanded wide support.

"If 13 candidates supported by nearly 70 political parties and civil society organisations only managed to mobilise 2,500 people, it proves Abdoulaye Wade holds a majority in Senegal," he said in a statement.

The rally turned violent as youths lobbed stones at riot police, who fired teargas and sprayed protesters with water, later engaging in running battles in side streets as youths burned tyres.

Witnesses and officials said a 32-year-old student in the crowd died after being run over, but police deny reports it was their vehicle.

M23 spokesman Diop said a "crisis committee will meet today to evaluate the next step after the protest. But from now on we will take into account the repression by the government and develop a strategy against it."

Alioune Tine, a prominent rights activist and member of M23 said a second person was killed during the dispersion of the riot, however this has not been be confirmed by authorities.

Wade's camp argues that a constitutional amendment introducing a two-term limit is not retroactive and that the veteran leader can still potentially seek two more mandates.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was "concerned about the upsurge of tensions in Senegal ahead of the presidential election scheduled for 26 February 2012" in a statement from his spokesperson.

The statement urged all parties involved to "pursue peaceful means to resolve all electoral grievances."