His candidacy invalidated by the Constitutional Council, Ousmane Sonko meditates, from the depths of his cell, on his current fate. The terminus where his electoral journey took him was strewn with pitfalls and traps that he created himself, and which closed in on him. The basis of these remains his nocturnal trips to Sweet Beauty.

That’s it! Ousmane Sonko is not going to be a candidate in the presidential election in February 2024. The Constitutional Council dismissed his file for lack of documents. In fact, out of the 9 required documents, he was only able to gather 7. Not having sponsorship forms, Ousmane Sonko was not able to post the deposit of 30 million CFA francs. Consequently, he was not able to attach to his file the certificate of deposit which was to be issued by the Deposits and Consignations Fund (Cdc). This is the end of a political-judicial situation that has held the country in suspense for more than 2 years.

The Constitutional Council Rejects his Case: Sonko Will Not Be a Candidate

Indeed, in March 2021, Ousmane Sonko was accused of “rape and death threats” by Adji Sarr, a masseuse who worked at Sweet Beauty. Ousmane Sonko was summoned to the Gendarmerie Research Section for the purposes of the investigation. At the time a deputy, he refused to comply with the summons and fired on the Justice system, which he described as “the armed arm of power to rule out opponents”. In a video widely followed on social networks, he evoked his “constitutional right to resist oppression”. His parliamentary immunity lifted, Sonko called on his activists and supporters to accompany him to the Court. He indulged in a crowd bath, holding an impromptu political meeting in the streets of Dakar. The police impose a route on him which he refused.

Address to his Compatriots: Karim Denounces his Forced Exile

This is the start of the events of March 2021. He was arrested for disturbing public order and his supporters did not intend to leave the situation as it were. Riots broke out in the country, raising fears of the worst. Loss of human lives, businesses were ransacked and the economy was damaged while schools were closed. Senegal, once a haven of peace in a region plagued by violence resulting mainly from electoral processes, is on the edge of the precipice. Persons of goodwill initiated talks and Sonko was released with the injunction not to call for demonstrations.

He was granted provisional release. Energized by this balance of power, Sonko began a new phase of his political communication. Mainly targeting the government and Justice. Through incisive messages, he attacked and uttered threats. Accusing Mame Mbaye Niang of having embezzled Prodac money, he was summoned. Before this trial, he anticipated the verdict by affirming that it is not this case which will exclude him from the Presidential election. Sentenced at first instance for defamation to a 6-month suspended sentence, the sentence was increased on appeal with damages of 200 million to be paid to the civil party. Sonko violently attacked the prosecution and shot at certain judges. More radical, he called for “putting an end to this regime”.

Sonko’s Plan B: Habib Sy, the Trojan horse

The date of the trial for “rape and death threats” set, Sonko, elected mayor of Ziguinchor, withdrew to the South. He refused to comply with the summons of Justice and claimed not to have received notification. After numerous postponements, the case was retained and Ousmane Sonko was tried in absentia. He was found guilty of youth corruption and sentenced to two years in prison. Riots break out with a heavy loss of life. Meanwhile, Sonko took refuge in his home in Ziguinchor.  It was after that that he decided to go to Dakar through a “Caravan of Peace”. He was arrested and brought back by force to Dakar.

At the Cité Keur Gorgui, Sonko was under house arrest until the day he is arrested for stealing by snatching. Since then, he has been in prison for more than 5 months on 9 charges including calling for insurrection. His conviction in absentia was the pretext for the Ministry of Justice to request his removal from the electoral list. Despite the two court decisions in his favor, the administration did not reinstate him.  Yesterday, the Constitutional Council definitively excluded him from the Presidential election. With the human incarnation of the “Project” of the former Pastef party having been ruled out, what remains of this device which was sold as the one which was to bury the system?

By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH / Serigne S. DIAGNE