On Tuesday, Senegal’s opposition coalition announced its intention to hold rallies in response to a looming threat preventing one of its leaders, Ousmane Sonko, from participating in the upcoming presidential elections.
Sonko was recently convicted in a defamation case and received a six-month suspended sentence, which could potentially disqualify him from running in the 2024 elections.
Should Sonko be barred from the race, it would have a significant impact on the election and could even spark violence among his supporters.
Sonko has alleged that the judiciary is being manipulated to prevent him from participating in the upcoming elections. The 48-year-old politician finished third in the 2019 election, behind the incumbent Macky Sall, and plans to run again next year.
However, Sonko’s bid for the presidency has been complicated by his recent conviction. On Monday, an appeals court increased his suspended sentence from two months to six months for defaming Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niangtou.