Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who received a two-year prison sentence one month ago, has called upon the Senegalese people to “go out in droves” in the coming days. This call comes on the eve of President Macky Sall’s address to the nation, during which he will reveal whether he intends to run for a third term in the 2024 presidential election.
During a social media appearance on Sunday evening, Sonko declared, “We must take a stand against Macky Sall’s regime and emphasise that it should not be his prerogative to choose the candidates competing in the next presidential election.”
Sonko’s conviction on charges of vice currently renders him ineligible for the presidency. In early June, this development ignited the most severe unrest in Senegal in years. The authorities report 16 deaths, while Amnesty International states the figure is 24, and the opposition claims it is 30.
Sonko has repeatedly accused the government of conspiring to prevent his participation in the February 2024 presidential election, a claim which the government denies. He has been confined to his home in Dakar since 28 May, a situation he describes as being “sequestered.”
Sall, who was elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2019, had the Constitution revised in 2016. The revised Constitution stipulates that “no one may serve more than two consecutive terms.” His supporters are positioning him as their candidate for 2024, arguing that the revision has reset term limits to zero.
According to Sonko, if the President chooses not to run, it will be a tactic to politically eliminate him and restart the judicial process, which he finds unacceptable. In the event of his arrest, Sonko urges “all Senegalese people to unite and mobilise en masse to finally bring an end to this oppressive regime.”
If the President does announce his candidacy, Sonko asserts, “it is the responsibility of all Senegalese people to stand up and face him.” He added, “If we must engage in battle, it must be a decisive one. I call for a national awakening. The days and weeks ahead will be critical.”