Senegal's President Macky Sall has again insisted he will leave power on 2 April, the day his mandate ends, despite postponing the election that would have picked his successor. The opposition has demanded that the vote be held before Sall's term is up, but so far the president has only committed to calling an election before the end of July.
A "national dialogue", which began earlier this week at Sall's request, proposed holding the poll in June - and suggested that he should remain in power until a new president is elected, prompting an outcry from his opponents.
"The National Dialogue has called for the 2nd of June 2024 as the new date for presidential elections in Senegal," Sall's social media accounts posted on Thursday.
"I want to make it categorically clear that I will step down from office on the 2nd of April, as I have previously made clear," the statement added.
"My departure date is absolutely firm."
In response, civil society group Aar Sunu Election ("Protect our Election") said it was joining forces with opposition candidates and other activists to ensure the presidential election is held before Sall's mandate runs out.
They have been organising under the name Fippu ("Resistance") with a common objective: to hold the vote by April.
Activist Thieba Camara Sy told RFI: "Resistance is mobilising a massive popular front, ready to vigorously defend our constitution and guarantee the integrity of our electoral process."
June vote?
But the political crisis talks that Sall called on Monday and Tuesday concluded that the presidential vote he postponed could not be held by the time his mandate ends.
Participants said there was a broad consensus that the election could not be held for at least three months from now.
The commission agreed that early June was the most feasible time for the vote, according to member Ndiawar Paye.
"The month of May has a number of religious festivals, so the elections could not be held then," he said on Tuesday evening.
"Senegal's national dialogue commission will recommend President Macky Sall remain in office until his successor is sworn in," Paye added.
The participants also proposed keeping the list of 19 candidates already validated by the Constitutional Council, Senegal's top election authority, before the original February election date.
They suggested the possibility of re-examining whether the exclusion of a number of other opposition candidates was justified, a move that could see prominent challenger Karim Wade allowed back into the race.
The candidacy of another leading opponent, Ousmane Sonko, remains pending. Currently in prison, he is still waiting to learn if he will be released under an amnesty bill announced by Sall earlier this week.
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Talks continue
Sall has said he wants to hold the election before the rainy season begins at the end of July.
He had previously indicated he would ask the Constitutional Council to choose a temporary replacement to take over after his term ends in April.
Sall said he would speak with the national dialogue commission again on 4 March.
The proposals discussed in the dialogue have to be submitted to the president, who must still issue a decree to convene the electoral body. The Constitutional Council also needs to validate the new election date.
The council's seven judges will also have to examine proposals concerning the inclusion of additional candidates and the extension of the current president's term.
Most of the opposition and 15 of the 19 presidential candidates have refused to participate in the national dialogue, with some saying they believe the talks are only for show.
(with newswires)
