In the midst of the turmoil that has sent shockwaves through Senegal in anticipation of the upcoming presidential elections, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko finds himself at the heart of the crisis, now confined to intensive care after embarking on a hunger strike. According to his legal representatives, this significant development unfolded on Thursday.
Initiating his protest on the 30th of July, Sonko’s decision followed accusations of him inciting fatal clashes between his adherents and the security personnel. The consequence of his stance has led to his admission to the intensive care unit of Dakar’s principal hospital, as disclosed by Cire Cledor Ly, one of his attorneys.
Having visited the intensive care section on Thursday, Ly revealed that Sonko had lost consciousness yesterday. Confirming the situation, another lawyer named Bamba Cisse also confirmed that Sonko’s health had taken a critical turn, while his official Facebook page noted his admission the previous evening due to an unexpected ailment.
Meanwhile, Sonko has remained hospitalized while under detention since the 6th of August, the day he was admitted for urgent medical attention. The details of his current health condition remain shrouded in uncertainty.
At 49 years of age, Sonko has amassed a considerable following among Senegal’s youth, largely due to his fiery attacks on President Macky Sall, portraying him as a potential autocrat and the leader of a corrupt upper echelon. This sentiment was underscored by his conviction on the 1st of June, which sentenced him to two years in prison on charges of morally corrupting a young employee of a beauty salon. Sonko contends that this conviction was orchestrated to prevent his eligibility for the upcoming year’s elections.
The aftermath of his conviction was marked by violent confrontations that resulted in a minimum of 16 fatalities. Subsequently, his arrest on the 28th of July was followed by formal charges of inciting insurrection, being involved in criminal associations, and undermining state security, all of which were connected to incidents traceable back to 2021. This also prompted the dissolution order of his PASTEF party.
In response to Sonko’s hunger strike, the government has voiced skepticism regarding the genuineness of his protest.