Hundreds of Senegalese protested in Paris on Saturday to oppose President Macky Sall’s bid for a third term.
For many, Senegal’s democracy is under threat.
“Because, as everyone knows, Senegal has not followed the same path as other African countries. It is a country that has demonstrated to the world that it is a democratic country, that has chosen democracy as a concept in a country with two political alternations “Moulaye Aidara, a French-Senegalese teacher, explained.
The demonstration was organised by Ousmane Sonko’s opposition party. According to the participants, at least 102 of their members have been detained for crimes of opinion.
“Perhaps we no longer want to talk about neocolonialism, about France-Africa; we’re tired of it, the French are tired of it, and the Africans are tired of it. Today, we want democratic countries to take charge of their own and their youth’s destinies, so that young people do not have to take a boat to come to Europe, to France “, Moulaye Aidara added.
Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko finished third in the 2019 elections and has since emerged as President Macky Sall’s main opponent.
“Every time a politician speaks, they are imprisoned. In any case, there is a real cabal against Ousmane Sonko. Whatever he says or does, they put sticks in his wheels, and we know exactly what they want. They want to keep him from running in 2024, which the Senegalese will not allow “, the French-Senegalese teacher concluded.
Civil liberties in Senegal, according to opponents and civil rights defenders, are under attack in the run-up to the February 2024 presidential election.
