Uneasy calm in Senegal after political violence rocks Dakar

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Calm has returned to the streets of Senegal’s capital, Dakar, following 72 hours of violence. Clashes erupted on Thursday in the wake of the sentencing of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in jail. On Saturday, authorities said that 500 people had been arrested since Thursday.

“The security forces were faced with violent demonstrators, who were not seeking to express opinions, but rather were engaged in subversive activities. The people apprehended during these events are mainly armed and dangerous individuals. Most of those arrested were in possession of Molotov cocktails, knives and large-calibre firearms”, said Ibrahima Diop, Senegal’s director of public security.

A court in Senegal found Sonko guilty of “corrupting” a young woman, but he claims the charges are politically motivated. The two-year sentence imposed by the court has alarmed Sonko’s supporters, who fear that it may disqualify him from running in the presidential election scheduled for next February.

The government and justice system have denied any wrongdoing. Sonko’s supporters have attacked riot police and set buses on fire. At least 16 people have died, and hundreds more have been injured in clashes with security forces.

The government of Senegal imposed restrictions on several social media and messaging platforms late on Thursday. Similar internet shutdowns occurred during widespread protests in 2021, it has been reported. The government has said that such a restriction was to prevent people from posting what is described as “hateful and subversive” messages online. In a statement, the government said, “Due to the spread of hateful and subversive messages… mobile internet is temporarily suspended at certain hours of the day.”

Although the government restricted access to some social media platforms, many people were still able to bypass the blockade by using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to hide their locations. On Sunday, the government expanded the internet blockage to include all data on mobile internet devices in certain areas and during specific times, according to a statement.

However, it did not specify which areas were affected or the specific times of the restrictions. However, people in Dakar reported that they were unable to access the internet on Sunday afternoon, which was when the protests began to gain momentum.

Internet shutdowns to suppress opposition are common in Africa and have been occurring since the 2011 Arab Spring, when rulers in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya attempted to control the spread of information.

Since then, countries like Gabon, Gambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and others have also implemented similar measures during times of instability.

What caused the protests?

Sonko’s PASTEF party claims that the court’s decision is part of a political plan and called on citizens to “stop all activity and take to the streets.” The case has sparked violent protests in the West African country since 2021, as people become increasingly frustrated with President Macky Sall.

Critics argue that Sall, who has been in office since 2012, has failed to create jobs and has suppressed opposition voices. There are also rumours circulating that he is attempting to bypass presidential term limits and run for office again next year.

Sonko came in third place in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election and is very popular among the country’s youth. Many see him as President Macky Sall’s main competition and have urged Sall to publicly state that he will not run for a third term.

Violence after verdict

After Thursday’s court decision, people took to the streets in protest. Protesters clashed with the police and burned buses in the capital city of Dakar, and reports indicate that similar incidents occurred in other parts of the country, including the city of Ziguinchor, where Sonko served as mayor since 2022.

Thick black smoke filled the air on the central university campus in Dakar, where protesters burned several buses in the afternoon and threw rocks at riot police, who responded by firing tear gas.

Is Ousmane Sonko disqualified to run for president?

Can Sonko still run for president in 2024? Sonko’s initial arrest on rape charges in 2021 led to several days of violent clashes that resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people.

“Ousmane Sonko’s candidacy is in jeopardy,” said one of his lawyers, Djiby Diagne.

Citing Senegal’s electoral law, another lawyer, Bamba Cisse, stated, “With this sentence, Sonko will not be eligible to be a candidate.”

“The conviction for corrupting a young person disqualifies him because he was sentenced in absentia, so we cannot appeal,” he added.

Who is Ousmane Sonko?

Ousmane Sonko is an opposition leader in Senegal and the founder of the PASTEF party. He is also the current mayor of Zinguinchor in the south of Senegal. His political ideas or ideology can be described as radical opposition to what he calls “the system.”

He is well known for his agenda that aims to serve the interests of the majority and his disapproval of the government. In an interview with the BBC in 2018, he mentioned that his political model is Thomas Sankara, and his model for governance is Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

In Senegal, he often refers to Mamadou Dia, the President of the Senegal Council from 1960 to 1962 (equivalent to the Prime Minister today), and the renowned Senegalese intellectual Cheikh Anta Diop.

As an Inspector of Taxes and Domains, Ousmane Sonko established the Syndicat Autonome des Agents des Impôts et Domaines (SAID) in 2004 and served as its first general secretary.

During this period, he began criticizing the government and accusing the country of fiscal and budget anomalies. President Macky Sall dismissed him as a tax inspector in 2016, alleging that he failed to respect his duty of reserve after he criticized the Macky Sall government.

He was the youngest candidate to run in the 2019 presidential election against Macky Sall, where he came in third place.