The people of Senegal head to the polls Sunday to vote in a hotly contested presidential race that has fired up political tensions and tested one of West Africa’s most stable democracies.
The presidential election will take place after much uncertainty following President Macky Sall’s unsuccessful effort to delay the February 25th vote until the end of the year, sparking violent protests.
In the latest turn of events leading up to Sunday’s vote, top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was released from prison last week, triggering jubilant celebrations on the streets of Dakar and renewed excitement about the contest.
Sunday’s election is set to be Senegal’s fourth democratic transfer of power since it gained independence from France in 1960.
Senegal is viewed as a pillar of stability in a region that has seen dozens of coups and attempted coups in recent years.
Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom, a Senegalese think tank, said sunday’s election had set a grim record in the country’s democratic history, with rights groups accusing Sall’s government of repressing the media, civil society and the opposition.
This is the first time in the country’s history, the incumbent will not be on the ballot and it’s proving to be a big test of the country’s fragile democracy. The ruling party has picked a former prime minister and finance minister, Amadou Ba, age 62, as its candidate. Ba is favoured by the international community as he is seen as likely to pursue Senegal’s investor-friendly policies as the country is gearing to become an oil and gas producer by the end of 2024.
But Ba faces a crowded opposition field of 18 candidates, the most prominent being 43-year-old former tax inspector Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has been propelled to the frontline by support from firebrand opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
