Senegal elections amid uncertainty - what’s at stake?

Senegalese citizens are set to head to the polls on Sunday amid recent political uncertainty when February's elections were postponed.

In the aftermath, Senegal's President Macky Sall announced the new election date on the same day the Constitutional Council said it was unconstitutional for the elections to go ahead after April 2 - the end of the current presidential term.

The Constitutional Council signalled the election should be held quickly, contravening suggestions by the national dialogue panel that pushed for elections in June.

There are 17 candidates vying for the top governing post.

Last Month, Sall, who has been in power for over a decade, said he will relinquish power when his presidency ends on April 2.

On February 3, Sall announced the indefinite suspension of the elections on February 25.

Senegal's leader, since 2012, Sall has disputed the candidate's list and has alleged corruption by constitution judges.

Despite Senegal being one of few African countries without a military takeover since independence in 1960, the situation led to sociopolitical chaos and the deaths of three people.

In the aftermath, Senegal's National Assembly, the country's unicameral legislature, passed a bill to hold elections until December 15, as security forces stormed the building and removed some oppositional lawmakers.

However, the Constitutional Council determined that the vote postponement was "unconstitutional" and annulled his decree to delay the poll.

Women's bid

Anta Babacar Ngom is the first woman eligible to compete in Senegal's presidential race, pushing for development and gender equity.

She is the daughter of Sedima's founding president, a regional powerhouse in West and Central African poultry production.

Before pivoting into politics, she was an executive director of the poultry company.

With her professional background in the private sector, she is striving for business to serve as "a bridge between the government and the people."

Among her campaign pledges, Ngom is pushing for a national women's bank to support their economic independence and challenge the various impediments she says hold women back from running for the presidency.

She is also seeking to industrialise the country, home to 17 million people.

Six women were named among the 93 hopefuls, while only 20 made the final list, which the Constitutional Council approved before two names remained—Ngom and Rose Wardin. According to reports, issues relating to Wardin's French citizenship meant Ngom remained the only woman to push for the highest office.

TRT Afrika describes Ngom as a relentless campaigner, notably amid President Sall's failed bid to postpone the elections by a year. This resulted in multiple run-ins with police at demonstrations and an arrest in February in what they say is a "more formal air" to her campaign bid.

In August 2023, the 39-year-old launched the political movement Alternative for the Next Generation of Citizens (ARC).

Governing party's candidate

The governing party's hopeful in the election is former prime minister Amadou Ba.

The former tax collector has been Senegal's PM since 2022 and previously held key ministries of foreign affairs and finance.

Last month, he resigned to focus on the busy campaign schedule while reports suggest the 62-year-old could be the favourite to win - although he faces stiff competition.

Ba has spoken of some of the key issues: irregular migration and youth employment.

Analysts have described him as purportedly symbolising " the status quo” and “an affluent candidate” but say Ba has the challenge of convincing an “impoverished electorate that he is up to the task."

Opposition

Senegal's top opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko was released ten days before the presidential vote, resulting in widespread national celebrations.

Sonko secured the third spot in the 2019 presidential polls but was barred from running in this year's elections. His ally Bassirou Diomaye Faye was named the opposition candidate.

According to TRT Afrika, Senegal has no public election opinion polls. However, the coalition member Faye is regarded as a strong candidate.

With wide support, Sonko has called on the youth to support Faye amid the economic turmoil and high employment rate.

If Faye succeeds, the coalition could reportedly have consequences for the eight-nation West African Economic and Monetary Union and the country's push to produce oil.

"Convinced that full independence cannot be achieved without controlling the economy, livestock management, fisheries, and agriculture, we are fully committed to achieving food, digital, fiscal, energy, and scientific sovereignty," Faye wrote.

The coalition says it seeks to address inequalities and foster employment amid the creation of a vice president and the disbandment of the prime minister.

The idea of a new currency has also been floated. Some are championing a shift away from the CFA franc, established as an alternative to the USD and adopted by 14 African nations, which have been described as "the shared currency inherited from French colonial rule."

The extractivist is understood to be high among the coalition's plans to drive the economy amid a revamp to the oil contracts among state and private enterprises.

Mining is expected to become an "important lever of our socio-economic development."

Ahead of Senegal's first offshore oil development in mid-2024, the country seeks to "maximise revenues" from oil production.

Sonko has spoken of the need to combat governmental corruption and safeguard Senegal's economy from foreign forces.

49-year-old Sonko has experienced strained relations with the state. He has been charged with crimes including fomenting insurrection, criminal association in connection with a terrorist enterprise and undermining state security over incidents dating back to 2021.

In a separate affair, he was on June 1 sentenced in absentia to two years in prison for "morally corrupting a young woman", leaving him eligible to stand in the election.

In jail since July 2023, he went on a hunger strike before being admitted to an intensive care unit. Reportedly, he ended his strike after several Muslim leaders where in Senegal, a Muslim-majority country, have helped to mediate political impasses.

The release follows President Sall's bill granting amnesty for acts tied to the sociopolitical demonstrations of 2021.

Since his release, he has called for unity among the people, insisting the focus is on the elections and calling on young people to cast their ballots.

"This is not the time for revenge. There will be no revenge, but there will be justice. We have a big project ahead of us. So, we don't have time for a witch hunt. But let it be clear: There will be no impunity," Sonko said at a news conference in the capital, Dakar.

According to reports, Sonko has forecast that Faye, one of the main candidates, could reach around 60 percent in the first round.