Senegal gets ready for postponed presidential election on Sunday
Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - As voters in the West African state of Senegal prepare to go to the polls on Sunday, 24 March, independent human rights experts have urged authorities to ensure that political parties, journalists and human rights defenders can exercise their right to freedom of association, assembly and expression during the upcoming electoral period.
The date for the first round of the vote was announced by President Macky Sall, who told the Council of Ministers meeting early this month that he selected the date after the Constitutional Council had ruled that holding the election after 2 April, the date marking the end of his second term, was contrary to the Constitution.
The election had been originally scheduled for 25 February, but President Sall issued a decree postponing it citing suspicions of corruption concerning some magistrates who examined the applications of 93 people to contest the vote.
Parliament then voted to delay the election until 15 December in a chaotic session during which security forces removed opposition lawmakers. The Constitutional Court declared Parliament's vote unconstitutional.
A UN statement on Tuesday said the Human Rights Council-appointed experts have previously raised concerns with the Government about the prosecution and detention of opposition leaders and their supporters.
They also welcomed the release of over 500 detainees last week which included opposition leaders Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, although they only have days left to campaign before the 24 March election.
“We urge authorities to uphold the fundamental freedoms necessary for an inclusive and meaningful democratic process, and end restrictions on public freedoms that the country has witnessed in recent years,” the experts said.
They noted that Senegal had seen “unprecedented mass protests” across the country since March 2021, in response to the arrest and trial of opposition leaders.
“Senegalese authorities appear to have resorted to frequent restrictions on public freedoms, bans on protests and temporary internet shutdowns,” the experts said, pointing to the negative impact on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstrations by members of the political opposition and civil society.
“Arrests and bans on demonstrations are dangerously restricting the civic and political space that is an essential part of any democratic society,” the experts said.
“We urge Senegalese authorities to create conditions conducive to the exercise of public freedoms, and in particular the rights of peaceful assembly, association and expression during the electoral period”, they concluded.
Some seven million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in the postponed election that should end the political challenges triggered by the decree postponing the election.
The regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is deploying 130 Long-term and Short-term observers led by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Nigeria's former Foreign Minister and United Nations Under-Secretary General, to monitor the electoral processes.
Campaign for the election would be from 9-22 March, according to a decree signed by President Sall.
There are 19 candidates, including Amadou Ba, former Prime Minister and the flag bearer of the ruling APR party.
There is also Bassirou Diomaye Faye of the main opposition coalition, which includes the dissolved PASTEF of the recently released Ousmane Sonko and the only female candidate Anta Babacar Ngom of the ARC party.
Fourteen ECOWAS Long-term observers (LTOs), are already on ground monitoring various stages to ensure compliance with international standards.
They will be joined by their Short-term colleagues this week.
The LTO Team deployed to Diourbel and Louga regions, east and south-west of the capital, Dakar, have been engaging with major stakeholders to establish the level of preparations.
During meetings with the LTO Team, officials from the security agencies, police and gendarmerie, as well as the National Electoral Commission at the regional level, regional Governors and Prefects of Diourbel and Louga confirmed their readiness and expressed optimism that the electoral processes would be peaceful.
They noted that substantial amounts of the Electoral materials had been received, while others were being expected.
They appealed to the registered voters to come forward and collect the voter's cards.
The Electoral Commission has also been carrying out training of Electoral Controllers and Supervisors.
On 6 March, the National Assembly adopted a law providing a general amnesty for acts committed between 1 February 2021 and 25 February 2024, in connection with demonstrations or which were politically motivated.
According to President Sall, the main aim of the law is to calm the political and social climate. It is also intended to strengthen "national cohesion and consolidate national dialogue, while enabling certain people who have had run-ins with the law to participate fully in democratic life".
President Sall has repeatedly said he would leave office at the end of his mandate on 2 April, saying he has refused "to be tempted by a third term".
-0- PANA MA 20March2024
