Political Editorial on Senegal's 2019 Presidential Elections

Disclaimer (Explicit language): This is a personal editorial of my observations of the presidential elections in Senegal and do not reflect the official opinion of the United States. Sensitive political topics and issues will be discussed in this editorial but by no means do I intend for this discussion to be viewed as a criticism of Senegal, its people or its politics. I have very much enjoyed my time here, I do not feel unsafe, and I look forward to my last three months here.

In the 2019 presidential elections occurring on February 24th, front runner Macky Sall, won his second term with 58% of the vote, beating the four other candidates: Idrissa Seck, Ousmane Sonko, Madickee Niang, and Issa Sall. Although he won a large majority of the vote, his ostensible popularity is likely due to undercover corruption. In 2017, the former mayor of Dakar, Khalifa Sall (no relation the president), was sentenced to 5 years in jail after being convicted of corruption and the embezzlement of $3.4 million in public funds. According to many political observers, Khalifa Sall was a strong potential candidate for this year’s election. Skeptics of the election claim that the rushed and shady trial for Khalifa was due to Macky Sall attempting to ensure a 2019 victory by eliminating potential viable opponents. In addition to jailing opponents, there are unconfirmed rumors that Macky Sall has worked with France to help capture his win.

Campaign Parade in St. Louis

Not surprisingly, other potentially strong candidates were barred from running in the election, namely Karim Wade, son of the former president. Wade joined the recently formed opposition coalition C25, which consists of all 25 candidates who were not approved by the Constitutional Council and therefore were not allowed to run. The stated goal of C25 is to highlight electoral irregularities and ultimately prevent the elections from happening altogether. C25 has rallied young people and other disaffected groups across Senegal against the government and their protests often turn violent. In areas south of the Gambia (which is landlocked within Senegal), land mines and armed vehicles creating road blockades, posed a major threat to travelers during the elections. To ensure the safety of the American citizens who are currently residing in Senegal, the American Embassy has asked the Yes Abroad students and other Americans to be extra cautious during the month of elections. I have heeded these warnings and am safe, so there’s no need to worry and, fortunately Dakar remains relatively peaceful compared to these other regions of Senegal.

Over the course of his presidency in the past seven years, Macky Sall has trumpeted Senegal’s improved economy and infrastructure. However, according to critics, the newly built bridges, hotels, and stadium are merely a mirage, as unemployment has increased substantially during his tenure. According to the financial website, Trading Economics, Senegal is projected to have an unemployment rate of 30% by 2020. Fittingly, one night while watching the news, my family and I burst with laughter as an opposing candidate was blasting Macky Sall for the high unemployment rate pointing to the fact that even his own son doesn’t have a job.

The millions of Senegalese youth (approximately 70% of the population is under 30) without jobs and anxious for change seemed to be a promising statistic for Ousmane Sonko, who at the age of 44, is the youngest candidate in the field. He promised jobs for them and radical change in government transparency. He also campaigned with the platform of uniting the nations who use the CFA (currency used by previously French colonial west African nations and guaranteed by the French Treasury). Sonko wanted to unite them in an effort to phase out the CFA and have their own currency so that they could rid themselves of French influence and start working together to develop their respective countries. It is evident when walking the streets of Dakar that many Senegalese are fed up with the government’s reliance on France as many walls are spray painted with the words “France Degage”, which translates to “French Trash”. Despite Sonko’s demagogic posture and his targeted efforts to rally the youth, he came in third, managing only 15% of the vote.

Idrissa Seck was another big opponent to Macky Sall as he had run against him in the previous election and against president Abdoulaye Wade in the election before that. He, like Sonko, wanted government reform and is hated by most of the current officials in Senegal’s government due to his history of government opposition. He was former president Wade’s prime minister but considered by many to have then betrayed him by running against him in the 2007 elections, finishing second.

Next was the the religious candidate, Issa Sall (no relation to the president). He is a member of the Moustarchidine, a religious-political movement in Senegal. The movement calls for a new adaptation of Islam that fits modern ideals and modern ways of life. The concerning part is when proponents of such ideals, including Issa Sall, may want to use this ideology in the making of government policies. The balance between religion and government in Senegal has historically been peaceful especially compared to surrounding countries who have tried to infuse religion into government and then have had it result in disagreements and sometimes civil war. All of this is now moot  since Issa Sall did not win the election, coming in fourth. Still, it is interesting to see where this movement goes and if one day they will be in power and able to carry out their, at least in part, religious policies. And if this movement is successful, will Senegal continue to prosper under such a government, or will it fall into civil war like so many of its neighbors.  

The last candidate, Madicke Niang, was the quietest of all the candidates and gained only 1% of the vote. Sorry Niang, maybe next time.

Despite being sequestered from most of the political discord, while at my mid-year orientation in St. Louis, an old French colonial town in the Northern region of Senegal, we got a small taste of the political excitement. While attending a workshop we were interrupted by boisterous music and the sound of drums and marching people. We all quickly abandoned our mid-year orientation work to view the campaign from the hotel balcony. We watched as the crowd rambled down the street past our hotel with signs and pickup trucks mounted with amplifiers. Although this was a successful and peaceful campaign, we could not help but be reminded of the more angry sentiments as we saw the defaced campaign posters covered with black paint that lined the highway back to Dakar.

The angry politics expressed among the people here is very similar to that of the US of the past few years. Hopefully, one day the Senegalese as well as the Americans can reach a place where we can talk about such matters without going at each other’s throats over political disagreements. Amongst my Yes Abroad cohort, we represent a diverse range of political ideals and backgrounds which I am very thankful for because it gives me the opportunity to see multiple perspectives. We are able to have discussions on politics without things getting heated and hopeful one day our government representatives and authorities will catch up to the level of maturity of my Yes Abroad cohort.