As Senegal faces its biggest political tension in decades, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has called for more protests after he was granted bail.
Sonko was arrested last week after being accused of rape, and the resulting protest led to the country’s biggest political upheaval in years. At least eight people were reported dead from the clashes that resulted from the protests.
Sonko, after his release on Monday, charged his supporters to protest peacefully, even as he called for more demonstrations.
He said the protests are not to unseat President Macky Sall but only to serve as reminders to the consciousness of Senegalese people towards 2024.
There are fears in Senegal that Sall may want to contest again for the Presidency, after reaching a two-term limit in what has been rampant across the continent.
Doubts have been raised about the allegation of rape against Sonko, as many Senegalese believe it is a tactic that has worked in the past against Mister Sall’s political adversaries.
Senegal, West Africa’s most stable democracy, may have a battle for peace on its hands as it has gained widespread attention in the past few days over political tension.
Nationwide protests began on Monday, as youths trooped out to the streets to express their displeasure with Sonko’s arrest.
The 46-year old politician who came third in the 2019 Presidential election is popular amongst Senegal’s youthful population.