By Omar Bah
WADEMOS is a network of civil society organizations and civic groups committed to upholding democracy, good governance, and inclusive development in West Africa. They recently made a statement urging the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support Senegal and not disappoint them. This call to action aligns with their mission to promote and defend democracy and inclusive development in the region.
The President of Senegal, Macky Sall, has recently announced that the country’s election, which was scheduled for later this month, has been postponed. This announcement has triggered a series of protests across the former French colony. In response to this decision, various international organizations have expressed their disapproval and called President Sall to reconsider his actions.
The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), a group of over 45 prodemocracy organizations working in the West Africa region, has released a statement expressing their solidarity with the civil society community in Senegal. They oppose President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the country’s Presidential election, initially scheduled for February 25, 2024. WADEMOS believes this unilateral action has put Senegal in an unnecessary political and constitutional crisis. They also note that this decision is a setback for the country, which has been making steady progress in building a stable democratic society marked by regular, free, fair, and inclusive elections.
Although we acknowledge the explanation provided by President Sall for his extraordinary decision, we emphasize the apprehensions and protests expressed by Senegalese civil society and a diverse range of Senegalese political society. It is particularly noteworthy that the President’s action violates the Constitution of the Republic of Senegal on various counts, the statement concluded.
According to the organization, the President’s decision to take unilateral action with less than a month until the scheduled elections go against the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, specifically Section 2, Article 2 (1). This provision explicitly discourages any modifications or alterations to electoral laws or procedures “six months before elections without the agreement of a significant majority of political stakeholders.”
It is with great concern that we express our opposition to the recent decision by the Senegalese parliament to postpone the elections until December 15, 2024. We believe the vote was secured unfairly and non-inclusively, and we condemn this action. The new date, which extends the term of President Macky Sall, sets a dangerous and unlawful precedent for Senegal and the region. We fully support the calls made by Senegalese civil society and prodemocracy actors for an inclusive process to settle on a new date for the presidential elections promptly. It is essential to remind President Sall of his pledge to the people of Senegal in his address to the nation on July 3, 2023, that he has no intention to stay in power beyond his constitutionally mandated term.
According to the statement, it is crucial to put an end to the ongoing arrests or detention of opposition candidates, attacks on MPs who oppose the extension of elections beyond President Sall’s term, media shutdowns, and crackdowns on free expression, as well as threats to the independence of the Constitutional Council. It’s essential to keep protests peaceful and non-violent and urge state authorities to exercise maximum restraint while respecting the sanctity of human life in response to citizens expressing their justified displeasure and anger at these events. The statement implores all segments of Senegalese society to work together to find a peaceful and speedy resolution to the crisis that the President’s actions have provoked.
