King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Saudi Arabia's entertainment sector attracts 76 million visitors in 2024    Third round of US-Iran nuclear talks concludes with cautious optimism    Multiple casualties reported after vehicle drives into crowd at Vancouver street festival    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Voters choose new Senegal president after political crisis
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 24 - 03 - 2024

People in Senegal are voting for a new president in a delayed election after weeks of political unrest.
Long queues of voters have been witnessed across the country choosing from 17 presidential candidates.
After he voted, outgoing President Macky Sall warned candidates against making premature claims of victory.
The election had been due to take place last month but Sall postponed it, triggering deadly opposition protests and a democratic crisis.
Seven million people are eligible to vote in the West African nation, which had until then been praised as a bastion of democracy in the region.
Among those in the running for Senegal's top job is the governing BBY coalition's candidate, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, 62. After casting his ballot in the capital, Dakar, he said he was "very confident" of a first-round election victory.
His main challenger Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed similar confidence after voting, along with his two wives, in his hometown of Ndiaganiao, which is about 100km (62 miles) from Dakar.
The 44-year-old was released from jail just 10 days ago, after being detained since April 2023 on charges of insurrection, which he said were politically motivated.
His ally, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, was also freed from prison following an amnesty intended to calm tensions. He voted in his southern stronghold of Ziguinchor, saying they expected a "dazzling victory".
Popular with young people, he is not allowed to stand because of a series of charges he says are trumped-up. He and his now-disbanded Pastef party are backing Faye.
A 25-year-old voter in Ndiaganiao, who only gave her first name Mbissine, told the BBC: "This election is the election of the youth. If I had one advice for other young people, it would be to come and vote. That's the only way we can help ourselves."
At the same polling station, 84-year-old Diégane Gueye, who walked with the assistance of a cane, said: "I came to vote because today is an important day for our nation. There is a lot at stake and that's why we should care."
On Friday, former President Abdoulaye Wade and his PDS party threw their support behind Faye, after his own son Karim Wade was forced to withdraw over his dual French-Senegalese citizenship.
For the first time in over a decade, a female candidate is in the race. Anta Babacar Ngom, 40, leads the ARC party.
Results are expected within days and a second round is likely, because of the large number of contestants. A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to be declared the winner.
The eyes of the world will be watching to see if the election process goes some way to restoring Senegal's now-bruised reputation.
Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, President Sall said that he had "no apology to make" for postponing the election, which was originally due to be held on Feb. 25.
"I have done nothing wrong," he said, adding that the decision to delay the vote was not taken unilaterally, but was because of electoral concerns raised by members of parliament.
"All the actions that have been taken have been within the framework of the law and regulations." — BBC


Clic here to read the story from its source.