Four main candidates in the spotlight

Published on: 03/19/2024 – 9:44 pm

6 minutes

The campaign ends for nineteen contenders in Senegal. In just over two weeks, the candidates for the presidency of the republic have the difficult task of convincing voters to vote in their name on Sunday, March 24.

The extraordinary campaign was cut short by a political crisis that postponed the February 3 presidential election, originally scheduled for February 25 by President Mackie Sale. The Constitutional Council then forced them to fix a new date.

See also thisPresidential election in Senegal: Dakar lives in the rhythm of election campaigning

In these extraordinary circumstances, candidates have increased the number of tours and public meetings in recent days to introduce themselves and present their programme. Unemployment, migration, sovereignty, the crisis in the fishing sector, schools, public liberties… A look at the key measures of the four main candidates:

• Amado Ba, Continuity Candidate

Prime Minister Amadou Ba, 62, a former minister of foreign affairs and economy and finance, wears the colors of the presidential majority. Former tax inspector Mackie pitches Saul’s economic record as a candidate for stability and continuity while promising appeasement after months of political crisis efforts.

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During the campaign, Amadou Baa focused his program on youth employment in a country where three-quarters of the population is under the age of 35. Its key promise: to create one million jobs by 2028 with a focus on public/private partnerships and investment in agriculture, industry, infrastructure and renewable energy.

He also mentioned the “conventions and agreements signed by the State of Senegal in the field of natural resources”, the minimum solidarity allowance for the elderly or the acceleration of projects to create a national art school and cultural professions.

• Basirou Dimaye Faye, Anti-System Proposal

Bassirou Diomaye Faye, 44, dropped from the presidential race in January after rival Ousmane Sonko’s studies, benefited from less time than other candidates campaigning in person. Released from jail on Thursday in the company of Ziguinchor’s mayor, the Pastef co-founder is playing the “degagism” card to purge the political class and vowing to recapture Senegal’s “sovereignty,” a term used 18 times. His project.

To do this, he proposes to get rid of the CFA franc inherited from colonization to introduce a new currency, or to normalize the teaching of English in countries where French is the official language. It also says it wants to renegotiate mining and hydrocarbon contracts as well as defense contracts.

The Pastef project aims to reform institutions with the creation of the post of Vice-President and to introduce safeguards for the powers of the President who can now be dismissed.

• Idrissa Sek, the old driver

Abdoulaye Wade’s former prime minister between 2002 and 2004, Idrissa Sack, is a regular in the presidential race as he seeks the Senegalese vote for a fourth consecutive term. At 64, Mackey Saul’s former opponent, who has long maintained suspense over his candidacy, is highlighting his political experience and knowledge of the state’s workings to try to woo voters.

Among the symbolic steps of their program, we have compulsory military service, the creation of a common currency for West African countries, or even funding by oil and gas companies to compensate for fishing losses.

See also thisPresidential election in Senegal: Faced with fish shortages, fishermen challenge candidates

On the economic level, the founder of Revami Party proposes to devote 60% of public investments to regions located outside the Dakar region.

• Khalifa Sal, ghost

Khalifa Sal is another heavyweight to try his luck in Senegalese politics. Sentenced to five years in prison and five million CFA francs in 2018 for fraud and embezzlement of public funds, the Texavu Senegal Coalition leader was unable to run in the 2019 presidential election. Mackie Sale’s rival has since returned to the political game thanks to a law authorizing the rehabilitation of civil rights for those convicted after a presidential pardon, but the pardon was granted in May 2023 after a national dialogue launched by the government.

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For this presidential election, Khalifa Sall, 68, presented himself as the candidate to heal the “damaged” republic. To this end, who sees himself as the heir to the Senegalese Socialist Party promises to establish a citizens’ initiative referendum. He has also promised to dedicate at least 1,000 billion CFA francs (1.5 billion euros) from the annual national budget to agriculture.

Its foreign policy will aim to “diversify and rebalance” diplomatic and economic partnerships “with South-South cooperation and emerging countries”.

with AFP