Senegal election crisis shakes support for Macky Sall’s coalition

In the last two elections, author Moustapha Gueye supported Macky Sall, the president of Senegal. Gueye’s loyalty to the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY) coalition has been undermined, though, by unhappiness with Sall’s second term and the president’s botched attempt to delay the next elections.

Seated on a sofa at his Dakar residence, Gueye expressed his sadness about Sall’s presidency culminating in a fierce election battle with the opposition and turmoil that has damaged Senegal’s standing as one of the most stable countries in West Africa.

“These are domestic issues that Senegal should have grown out of,” he said.

Just a few weeks before the election was scheduled to take place in February, Sall made the unexpected decision to postpone it, which stoked widespread suspicions that he was attempting to amend the constitution in order to prolong his rule.

Sall disputes this. It was too late to stick to the original election date, but a court eventually overturned his injunction.

Ousmane Sene, a mechanic, expressed his fatigue at speculating about the ruling party’s motivations.

“The reason I won’t vote for Benno (BBY) anymore is simply that I trusted them, but not anymore. That trust has been betrayed,” he said at his roadside repair shop in a Dakar suburb.

Authorities have still not confirmed a new date for the vote.