Senegal’s interior ministry has declared its commitment to “safeguarding peace and tranquillity” in the midst of ongoing opposition protests in various parts of the country.
Minor demonstrations continue to unfold in Dakar, the capital, and Ziguinchor, a city where Ousmane Sonko, the opposition leader, holds the position of mayor.
These protests stem from the recent arrest of Mr. Sonko during the weekend and the subsequent dissolution of his political party. He remains in custody and initiated a hunger strike on Sunday.
On Monday, Interior Minister Antoine Félix Abdoulaye Diome announced the government’s decision to dissolve Mr. Sonko’s Patriots of Senegal (Pastef) party, citing its involvement in inciting unrest during violent protests that transpired last month in Dakar.
However, Pastef contends that Senegal’s stability is now in jeopardy, as they believe the people will not accept what they view as a significant power forfeiture against their favored candidate.
Social media videos depicted demonstrators pelting security forces with stones following Mr. Sonko’s arrest and the party’s dissolution.
Mr. Sonko has criticized his detention, asserting that it is based on false pretenses. He also intends to challenge the official notification of his party’s dissolution through legal means.
Remarkably, this marks the third instance of a political party being banned in Senegal since its independence from France in 1960, though the prior cases occurred prior to the introduction of multi-party democracy in the 1970s.
Supporters of Pastef have alleged that President Macky Sall’s ruling party is attempting to marginalize their popular opponent.
Mr. Sonko secured third place in the 2019 presidential election and is now facing what his supporters believe to be fabricated charges in anticipation of the February election.