Ousmane Sonko, the head of the opposition in Senegal, requested a nonviolent demonstration on Saturday after the government halted a planned event to announce his candidacy for the 2019 presidential elections.
Sonko “was unanimously voted in as the PASTEF-Patriots’ candidate for the February 25, 2024 presidential elections,” according to a statement from the party provided to AFP on Thursday.
Despite ongoing concerns about Sonko’s eligibility as a result of his previous convictions and prison terms, he was nominated anyway.
The opposition party’s nomination event, which had been planned for Saturday afternoon in a stadium outside of the city, had been canceled, according to the governor of Dakar, who made the announcement on Thursday. He cited the “risk of disturbing public order” as the reason for the cancellation.
Sonko told his supporters “another date” would be chosen, and called for a “concert of saucepans, horns and firecrackers” on Saturday evening from 8:30 to 9:00 pm (2030 to 2100 GMT) to peacefully express disapproval and call for President Macky Sall “to leave office in peace”.
“Macky Sall is trying to eradicate PASTEF and prevent me from being a presidential candidate,” Sonko said in a Friday evening address in Wolof and French on his party’s channel.
Sonko also urged his fans to don red clothing in protest. Sonko has been imprisoned by security personnel at his Dakar house since May 28.
The fiery spearhead of the opposition has won a fervent following among Senegal’s disgruntled youth by waging a ferocious campaign against Sall, whom he portrays as a corrupt, would-be dictator.
This month, Sonko issued a dire warning about “indescribable chaos” if his bid for the presidency was thwarted.
The biggest turmoil Senegal has had in years began as a result of his convictions in May and June, which provoked violent clashes between his followers and security personnel.
Sonko was sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence for slander on May 8 by an appeals court, however it is unclear whether this ruling, which is also subject to appeal to the Supreme Court, disqualifies him from running for office.
Sonko was also given a two-year sentence on June 1 after being found guilty of sexually abusing a worker at a beauty parlor.
