Senegal votes in delayed presidential election
DAKAR (Reuters) – Voting was underway in Senegal on Sunday in a delayed presidential election many hope will bring change after a turbulent political period that triggered violent anti-government protests and boosted support for the opposition.
At stake is the potential end of a regime that has pushed investor-friendly policies but failed to alleviate economic hardship in one of coup-prone West Africa’s more stable democracies just as it is poised to become an oil and gas producer.
Nineteen contenders are vying to replace Senegal President Macky Sall, stepping down after a second term marred by unrest over the prosecution of firebrand opposition leader Ousmane Sonko and concerns that Sall wanted to extend his mandate past the constitutional limit.
The incumbent is not on the ballot for the first time in Senegal’s history. His ruling coalition has picked former prime minister Amadou Ba, 62, as its candidate.
About 7.3 million people were registered to vote. In the capital, Dakar, hundreds of voters patiently lined up hours before polls opened.
In the ocean-facing neighborhood of Ngor, fisherman Alioune Samba, 66, said he was voting for the change everyone wants.
“Food, water, school; everything
is expensive with the low income we have in Senegal,” said the father of three.
Provisional results are expected by Tuesday and polling stations were to begin posting their tallies from Sunday night.
Sonko, in jail until recently, was disqualified from the race because of a defamation conviction. He is backing the co-creator of his now dissolved Pastef Party, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was also detained almost a year ago on charges including defamation and contempt of court.
An amnesty law passed this month allowed their release days before the vote. They have campaigned together under the banner “Diomaye is Sonko.” Some high-profile politicians and opposition candidates have backed Faye’s candidacy.
“The population is choosing between continuation and rupture,” Faye said after casting
his vote, urging contenders to accept the winner.
Other candidates include ex-Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall (no relation to the outgoing president), entrepreneur Anta Babacar Ngom – the only woman running – and Idrissa Seck, who was second in the 2019 election.
“Senegal remains a democratic country, so I am very proud,” said Ngom after voting, reiterating her promise to restructure the economy and protect democratic rights.
Without opinion polls, it is unclear whether any candidate will secure the more than 50% majority required to prevent a runoff.
Macky Sall, first elected in 2012, is leaving after a drop in popularity that deepened when authorities sought to postpone the vote to December. It was initially scheduled for February 25.