“I signed decree no. 2024-106 of February 3, 2024 repealing decree no. 2023-2283 of November 29, 2023 convening the electoral body… I will initiate an open national dialogue, in order to create the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal” – President Macky Sall (03.02.2024)
Today in Dakar, as the campaigns and everything was gearing up for the 25th February 2024 elections. That is now put on hold, as the President is repealing a decree putting forward the stipulations of holding an election. In that election, Sall isn’t a supposed candidate and his supposed to have an heir there. However, certainly his trying to configure a way to stay in office now.
The Senegalese people shouldn’t be shocked or in awe. As Sonko and others are behind bars ahead of the polls. There is little signs of freedom, liberation or anything sincere from the regime of Sall. It is just further escalation and to ensure him more time in office. That’s the gig here and this is why he does it.
We know the African Union and ECOWAS won’t do much about this. As Sall is one of them and are an asset there. This is the sort of behaviour you get away with, as it is a constitutional or political coup to stay in office. However, if Sall used the army and was suddenly a general taking over Dakar. We know the AU and ECOWAS would come knocking. Nevertheless, in this regard he will walk softly.
We shouldn’t expect much from Paris or France, as they have an ally and a person of interest in Dakar. For French interests, they need a guy like Sall in office and they know he will not challenge the former colonizer. No, he will praise them and be their man. That’s who he is and this is why Paris won’t say much about what happened today either. Because, they are having someone they trust in office and they don’t mind what he does to be in power.
Sall is now ensuring himself more time. He is suspending the elections and by doing so in all practicality is a putsch. The President didn’t need to fire a weapon, neither did he need to use force, but only use his power as the Executive and Head of State. That’s all he needed and with his power he could execute it with ease. Neither does he has to be afraid of a rebellion or a revolution.
No, he thinks he can rule supreme without any consequences. That he can violate the constitution all on his own whims. This is what his doing and willingly so. It doesn’t look that well planned either, as the timing is horrific… and just mere weeks before the polls. Therefore, the set-back and the switch is just showing his big-man syndrome.
It is bad enough that Sonko is behind bars and not eligible to be on the ballot. That just shows that the authorities and the ones in-charge isn’t offering a free and fair elections. This is a given by the manner of which the state has gone after Sonko and his party. They are just violating him, because of his popularity. Which is in stark contrast to the dwindling support Sall has himself.
We know Sall fears the will of the people. His afraid of their judgment and their ideas of who to run the nation. As that would most likely not be him. Sall got blood on his hands and victims of his reign is known. Demonstrations has become lethal and the authorities has silenced critics of the state. It has done so with a ruthless force, which brutality has endangered people’s lives. Therefore, with that in mind… Sall might be afraid of his future when he doesn’t have immunity from criminal prosecution. There might be less forgiving head of state’s after him…
Regardless of that, Sall isn’t right by what he has done. He is a tyrant and now staying in office by decree. His a man who is occupying the Presidency and doing so without a legitimate reason. That is only done by self-serving interests and not the will of the people. This is why today was a coup d’etat against the state and done so by the President himself.
President Sall isn’t working for the Senegalese people, but working only for himself. Peace.
MinBane 