Senegal found itself at the crossroads on Monday (Feb. 05) as the government imposed restrictions on mobile internet access amid escalating protests against President Macky Sall's decision to delay the presidential election. The tension gripping Dakar, the capital, remains palpable.
Lawmakers convened in a plenary session since Monday morning to deliberate and vote on a bill proposing a six-month postponement of the presidential poll, shifting the likely election date to August, four months after Sall's term was initially set to conclude. The day unfolded with various incidents in the city center, where opposition supporters, prompted by the opposition's call, sought to obstruct the voting process as they had done on June 23rd, 2011, before Sall's election.
Unlike the previous instance, police dispersed the protesters using tear gas, clearing them from the city center. The authorities cordoned off the city, preventing citizens from expressing their disapproval of the bill, introduced by the party of former president Abdoulaye Wade (PDS) and backed by the ruling coalition.
Inside Parliament, disruptions and adjournments marked the day as debates continued, leaving Senegalese citizens anxiously awaiting the voting outcome.
The unprecedented delay in Senegal's presidential election prompted protests on Sunday (Feb. 04), which opposition leaders labeled a "constitutional coup." The Ministry of Communication justified cutting off internet access, citing the dissemination of "hateful and subversive messages" on social networks, heightening threats to public order.
President Sall, in explaining the delay, pointed to a dispute between the judiciary and parliament over the disqualification of candidates and reported dual nationality concerns. Senegal has grappled with political tensions for at least a year, involving deadly clashes among opposition supporters and the disqualification of two opposition leaders for not meeting election requirements.
This recent turmoil adds to concerns about West Africa's stability, already strained by a surge in coups and threats to democratic institutions in the region.