Tinaye Agere
Senegalese President Macky Sall says he would fully abide by a court decision that overturned the postponement of the presidential election to December, pledging to hold consultations to organise the vote as soon as possible.
A bill that pushed back the February 25 poll and plunged the country into electoral uncertainty was overturned on Thursday by Senegal’s Constitutional Council.
Sall “has taken note” of the council’s decision and request for the election to be held as soon as possible, the presidency said in a statement yesterday.
“The president intends to fully execute the constitutional council’s decision,” it added.
Sall has been under significant pressure to accept the ruling. The week-long electoral crisis has already led to violent protests and warnings of authoritarian overreach in one of coup-hit West Africa’s more stable democracies.
Another demonstration against the delay was due to begin in the capital Dakar just as the presidency issued Sall’s response. Fewer than a hundred people turned up as police blocked access to meeting points and fired tear gas to disperse protesters.
Dakar resident Mohamed Alpha Diop welcomed the prospect of a shorter delay to elections. “I think it will really calm things down,” he said.
Opposition leaders, West Africa’s main economic and political bloc ECOWAS, and foreign powers including the United States and France urged authorities earlier on Friday to comply with the judgment and quickly set a new date for the election.
Prices of Senegal’s bonds jumped by the most in just under a year after the council ruled. Although in some cases, the 2 cent rise, still left them well below levels seen before the election delay was first announced on February 5. – SABC News
Bongani Ndlovu