Senegal's Constitutional Council rejects delay of presidential election

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – The Senegalese Constitutional Council on Thursday declared a law postponing the country’s presidential poll to December “unconstitutional” and annulled a decree by President Macky Sall.

Sall on Feb. 3 announced the indefinite suspension of the Feb. 25 presidential election, citing a dispute over the candidate list and alleged corruption of constitutional judges. The National Assembly then passed a bill postponing the vote until Dec. 15, as security forces stormed the building and removed some opposition lawmakers.

The judicial authority said the law adopted by the legislature at its Feb. 5 session was “contrary to the Constitution.”

The election delay in the West African country had led to violent protests during which three people were killed and dozens others arrested. The protesters accused Sall of using "fallacious reasons to postpone the election," just hours before the campaign began.

Last month, the Constitutional Council approved 20 candidates for the presidential election, and campaigns had been scheduled to begin on Feb. 4.