DAKAR, Senegal (AP) \u2014 Top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko vowed Friday to help his team win Senegal\u2019s March 24 presidential election even though he is barred from the ballot, jumping into the campaign in his first public address since being freed from prison a day earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ousmane Sonko\u2019s\u00a0release late Thursday\u00a0after months behind bars triggered a mix of jubilation and political uncertainty on the streets of the capital, Dakar.\u00a0Thousands took to the streets in celebration,\u00a0reinvigorating enthusiasm for the election that will decide whether the West African country can remain a stable democracy in a region that has experienced a wave of coups and attempted coups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A charismatic former tax collector and mayor of the southern city of Ziguinchor, Sonko is seen as as\u00a0the main challenger to President Macky Sall\u2019s\u00a0governing party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His key ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was also freed from prison late Thursday, has been named the opposition\u2019s presidential candidate. Their release follows Sall\u2019s decree to exonerate political prisoners, including hundreds arrested in the violent protests last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe message will be short. The important thing is our candidate. We have an election to win. Every hour counts. We have lost a lot of time. We will be on the ground for the victory of our candidate,\u201d Sonko said at a news conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his brief message, Sonko restated some of the key tenets of his campaign: the need to fight corruption in the government and to protect Senegal\u2019s economy from the influence of foreign powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protests have once again rocked Senegal\u2019s image as a pillar of stability in West Africa. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, it has held regular elections and never experienced a coup, unlike many other nations in the Sahel region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following Sonko\u2019s release Thursday night, Dakar was thronged with thousands of people singing and dancing as convoys of supporters drove around tooting horns and young people piled onto motorbikes and trucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fresh graffiti on Dakar streets Friday morning rallied in support of Sonko. On their way to work, Senegalese speculated about how the turn of events might affect the vote later this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Presidential spokesman Yoro Dia said a court decision barring Sonko from the election could not be appealed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest twist in Senegal\u2019s election saga follows Sall\u2019s attempt to postpone the election until the end of the year, announcing\u00a0his decision\u00a0just weeks before\u00a0it was to take place on Feb. 25. His announcement\u00a0plunged Senegal into uncertainty\u00a0and drew protesters to the streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The country\u2019s Constitutional Council subsequently rejected Sall\u2019s postponement and ordered the government to set a new date as soon as possible. Political analysts said Sonko\u2019s return to the playing field would boost his ally\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This \u201cis clearly a political, democratic and electoral turning point that could bring a new generation to power,\u201d Alioune Tine, the founder of the Senegalese think tank Afrikajom Center, told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tochi Eni-Kalu, Africa analyst at the Eurasia Group, said Sonko\u2019s release likely won\u2019t change expectations that the vote is probably headed for a runoff, with no candidate winning more than 50% of the vote. Neither will Sonko be allowed into the race at this late stage, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor Sonko specifically, there remains some uncertainty over the terms of his amnesty and whether he will immediately regain his political rights,\u201d the analyst said. \u201cBut he won\u2019t be on the ballot on the 24th.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a separate decision Friday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Karim Wade, an opposition leader and son of former Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, against the decision to rule him off the ballot because he holds dual citizenship. Wade said he has renounced his French citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sonko\u2019s presidential bid has faced a prolonged legal battle that started when he was accused of rape in 2021. He was acquitted of the charge but\u00a0was convicted of corrupting youth\u00a0and sentenced to two years in prison last summer, which ignited deadly protests across Senegal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January, he was disqualified from the ballot because he faces a six-month suspended sentence following\u00a0his conviction for defamation, Senegal\u2019s highest election authority, the Constitutional Council, said at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sonko\u2019s supporters maintain his legal troubles are part of\u00a0a government effort to derail his candidacy. His Patriots of Senegal party was also dissolved last summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senegal\u2019s 19 approved candidates have started rallying ahead of the vote, expected to be the most tightly contested race since the country gained independence more than six decades ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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DAKAR, Senegal (AP) \u2014 Top opposition leader Ousmane Sonko vowed Friday to help his team win Senegal\u2019s March 24 presidential election even though he is barred from the ballot, jumping into the campaign in his first public address since being freed from prison a day earlier. Ousmane Sonko\u2019s\u00a0release late Thursday\u00a0after months behind bars triggered a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38668,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,16,15],"tags":[7,26,25],"class_list":{"0":"post-38667","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-featured","8":"category-news","9":"category-politics","10":"tag-apie-project","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-politics"},"yoast_head":"\n