• Pastef announces the presence of its leader

The Pastef party remains determined to present Ousmane Sonko to the Presidential while its leader is dismissed by article L29 of the Electoral Code. The « Patriots » announced the investiture of the mayor of Ziguinchor, next Saturday, without specifying the event venue.

« On July 15, 2023, the candidate Ousmane Sonko, the hope of an entire Nation, will be officially invested by millions of Senegalese here and in the diaspora who will wear with determination, on the occasion, the bracelets of liberation.” The Pastef party thus remains in its logic of presenting Ousmane Sonko as a candidate for the presidential election of February 2024.

The « Patriots » national secretary for communication announced yesterday on the airwaves of the Rfm. El Malick Ndiaye did not specify the place where the investiture will take place. He was just content stating that the 56 coordination teams of the Pastef party chose Ousmane Sonko. Whom, we remind, was given a 6-month suspended prison sentence with 200 million francs to pay in damages to the Minister of Tourism, Mame Mbaye Niang, in the Prodac case. For the Adji Sarr case, the leader of the Pastef party was finally found guilty of youth corruption and served a 2 years prison sentence.

These two convictions, with regard to the provisions of the Electoral Code, exclude him from the Presidential elections. Indeed, article L29 stipulates: “Should not be registered on the electoral list; 1) individuals convicted of a crime; 2) those sentenced to an unsuspended prison sentence or a suspended prison sentence of more than one month, with or without a fine, for one of the following offences: theft, fraud, breach of trust, drug trafficking, embezzlement and embezzlement committed by public officials, corruption and influence peddling, counterfeiting and in general for any of the offenses punishable by a penalty of more than five (05) years of imprisonment; 3) those sentenced to more than three (03) months of imprisonment without suspension or to a prison sentence of more than six (6) months suspended, for an offense other than those listed in second above subject to the provisions of article L.28; 4) those who are in absentia; 5) undischarged bankrupts whose bankruptcy has been declared either by Senegalese courts or by a judgment rendered abroad and enforceable in Senegal; 6) those against whom the prohibition of the right to vote has been pronounced by a criminal court of common law; 7)incapable adults.”

The Pastef party has always claimed that these convictions are only a political manoeuvre aimed at removing an opponent. Therefore, the “Patriots” have always maintained that there will be no plan B and that Sonko will be their candidate. An intention that they seek to materialize by organizing his investiture.

However, Sonko’s move is more than uncertain. Indeed, forced to hole up at home from his “Freedom Caravan”, Sonko is watched 24 hours a day by the police. Even his lawyers have trouble to access his home.

By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH