Buya Jammeh, AfricaNews reporter in Dakar, Senegal
Opposition and civil society groups in Senegal have vowed to increase their fight against incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade's presidential bid. The pronouncement came after the constitutional Council rejected an appeal filed by the opposition.
Senegal's highest court also rejected opposition appeal and confirming President Wade's bid for third term for the second time in a week.
The court's decision has dashed the hopes of many Senegalese who thought the country’s political stalemate will be resolved.
Youssou Ndour’s candidacy was nullify because he did not file enough valid signatures.
Ndour warned that country may run into a political crisis; he also called on his supporters to rise up against Wade. He said that the regime was preventing him from running because they were afraid of him. The Grammy-winning singer promised to "make a series of startling revelations" in the coming days, adding that he planned to reveal details of alleged government corruption.
The opposition has called on the country's increasingly disenfranchised population to rise up against Wade, and protests are expected this week. When the constitutional court issued its initial ruling Friday and approved Wade's third-term bid, angry youths clashed with security forces, stoning a police officer to death.
Cheikh Tijan Gadio one of the opposition leaders contesting to unseat the incumbent President described the move as a constitutional coup d’état by the ruling clique.
At the core of the dispute is the issue of how many terms the constitution allows. When the 85-year-old Wade was elected in 2000, the constitution had no term limits. He had it changed in 2001 to impose a two-term maximum.
Attack on the media
According to media reports, supporters of the ruling Parti Democratique Senegalaise are planning to launch an assault on major independent media outlets including Yousou Ndour’s media company located in the capital Dakar and threatening to kill Ahmed Aidara one of the best newspaper reviewers who works for Zik FM, a private radio station.
Daitou Cisse Badiane president of the professionnels de l’information et de la communication du Senegal (Synpics) the umbreller body of the Senegalese journalists has called her country’s ministry of interior to ensure the full protection of all media outlets and individual journalists around the country. “The media is just doing their job by informing the public but nothing else; therefore we need to be protected,” she stressed.
Vandalism
Angry protesters on Sunday burned down a market described as one of the biggest markets in the sub-region located in the Senegalese city of Koalack; destroying millions worth of goods.
Detention of activist
Alioune Tine president of la Rencontre Africaine de défenses des droits de l’homme (RADDHO) a leading human rights organization in Senegal who also doubles as the coordinator of the M23 Movement that led demonstration on June 23rd last year is currently under detention by the Criminal Investigation Department; unconfirmed reports suggest that Mr. Tine is accused of orchestrating the demonstration that led to the killing of a police officer who was stone to death on Friday.
Political prisoners
The crusade against president Wades bid by the opposition camp and civil society groups has led to imprisonment and bullying of its embattle supporters in recent months.
Opposition and civil society groups in Senegal have vowed to increase their fight against incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade's presidential bid. The pronouncement came after the constitutional Council rejected an appeal filed by the opposition.
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