Senegal's Sall leaves open date for delayed presidential election

Senegal's outgoing President Macky Sall on Thursday said his mandate would end as planned on April 2, but left open the date of the presidential election which he postponed earlier this month.

Sall had faced a growing clamour to set a date for the vote after his abrupt delay to the February 25 election triggered weeks of political crisis.

"On 2 April 2024, my mission ends at the head of Senegal", the president said.

"As far as the date is concerned, we'll see what the dialogue comes up with," he said during a televised press interview, referring to the political dialogue he intends to conduct from Monday.

"The election can be held before or after 2 April," he said.

But asked whether the election could be held between now and April 2, he replied "I don't think so."

Sall had announced the election delay hours before official campaigning was due to begin, with parliament backing the move, despite strong opposition, and then setting a new election date for mid-December.

The opposition denounced Sall's move as a "constitutional coup", saying his party feared defeat at the ballot box.

The delay plunged the traditionally stable West African country into its worst political crisis in decades and sparked unrest that has left four people dead.

Adding to the uncertainty, the top constitutional body last week overturned the delay and called for the vote to be organised "as soon as possible".

President Macky Sall came to power in 2012 and his term is to end on April 2. By Amanuel Sileshi (AFP/File)

Sall said that he would "without delay carry out the consultations necessary" to do so.

The president called during Wednesday's cabinet meeting for "all the arrangements" to be made "for the presidential election to be organised well on a date which will be set very soon", according to the presidency.

It added that this would be "after consultations with politicians, civil society officials and representatives of key actors".

'Dialogue'

Sall also said he wanted "dialogue" to calm tensions and asked the justice ministry to finish drawing up draft legislation to follow through on "the will for reconciliation and forgiveness".

Hundreds of detained opposition and civil society members were released last week.

However, civil society groups have called another rally for Saturday in the capital Dakar to keep up the pressure, after mobilising several thousand people last weekend.

Protesters took to the streets over the election delay. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP/File)

Imprisoned opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, who is among 19 contenders for the presidency, on Wednesday accused Sall of dragging his feet.

His criticism echoed that of most of the other candidates who accused Sall in a joint statement of "ill will".

Faye said in a statement he would only agree to talks on setting an election date "without delay" and before the end of Sall's term.

Faye is deputy to anti-establishment firebrand Ousmane Sonko, who is also in prison.

The national youth coordinator for Sonko's dissolved political party, Ngagne Demba Toure, was imprisoned on Thursday after being arrested a day earlier, according to one of his lawyers Moussa Sarr.

Sarr said his client had been charged with "criminal association in connection with a terrorist undertaking", "attacks and plots in connection with a terrorist undertaking" and "offence to the head of state".

Sall, who has been in power since 2012, said he called off the vote over disputes about the disqualification of potential candidates and concern about a return to unrest seen in 2021 and last year.

The opposition accuses him of trying to remain in office, though Sall has repeatedly said he will not stand for a third term.

The coalition supporting the candidate of the president's party, Prime Minister Amadou Ba, called on its leaders Wednesday to mobilise voters for a first-round win regardless of when the vote is held.

The recent political turmoil prompted concern from Senegal's international partners.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday it hoped for a "speedy resolution and to ensure continued stability and economic progress in the country".