The decision of the President of the Republic and his MPs to postpone the presidential election, and therefore to extend his mandate, has continued to cause a stir. If international institutions and foreign partners are, for the most part, more or less complacent and understanding regarding this evolution of power in Senegal, Senegalese political actors and members of civil society do not hide their opposition and their desire to prevent the Head of State from peacefully exercising the additional time he wants to grant himself.

The majority of opposition parties, with the exception of the Senegalese Democratic Party (Pds) which supports the candidacy of Karim Wade, are up in arms trying to force the President to reverse the decisions he has taken since Saturday February 3rd. They were able to enlist worker unions in their fight. Under the guise of defending workers’ rights, confederations have called for strike movements, some demanding that the power in place reverse its decisions.

Appeal against the postponement of the election: Gakou, Mame Boye, Diomaye and Dièye appeal to the 7 “Wise Men”

The power in place, for its part, has no shortage of allies and support, both in the political arena and among public opinion. This has meant that, despite a creeping sense of worry about the future, the country seems suspended in waiting to see which way things will develop. And no one works anymore. However, we are in a country where everything is urgent.

Saturday February 3, no one has worked in Senegal, or at the very least, in Dakar. Some stores have not put up the curtains which were lowered last weekend. If tour operators have not yet recorded any cancellations of reservations at this time, they are nevertheless very attentive to the evolution of things, aware that they are of the volatility of their sector, which depends more on people’s impressions and feelings. The same impressions suspend the desire to pursue investments in other areas.

The most visible is in the area of public transport. After the declaration of the Head of State, the public transport company Dakar dem dikk took the decision to suspend certain routes, the Brt was once again vandalized at some of its stations. Many small private companies, established on the Vdn, were unable to work properly, due to the demonstrations which were heating up on this major artery of the city. All this is taking place against a backdrop of postponement after postponement of the start of exploitation of certain hydrocarbon sites in Senegal, such as the gas of Grand Tortue Ahmeyin (Gta) or the offshore oil of Sangomar. Initially planned for the beginning of January, the entry into force of these projects was postponed towards the end of the year, for multiple political and/or technical reasons. It is a safe bet that a feeling of political instability in the country will not push things to speed up, quite the contrary. However, another delay in the exploitation of our oil and gas will not improve social and economic conditions in the country.

Cancellation of the Presidential Election of February 25: The Coup of Force

Increasingly, the Senegalese economy is moving away from agriculture and the industrial sector, to rely on extractive materials. Gold is already Senegal’s leading export, far from peanuts or horticultural products. Even if these sectors are not those which produce the most labour, they bring in the most foreign currency which the State needs to implement its projects.

On all platforms around the world, Macky Sall spent his time defending the idea of fair treatment of Africans in the allocation of financial resources. He has always indicated that the risk is not greater in Africa than in other countries, and that there is no reason for donors to lend us money at prohibitive rates. Until then, no one was able to put forward a real argument against his statements. This was before the new situation created by the postponement of the Presidential election in Senegal. Will we still be able to say that the risk here is lower than in certain Western countries?

By Mohamed GUEYE / mgueye@lequotidien.sn

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