(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) RABAT, March 23 (KUNA) -- The Senegalese people observed on Saturday electoral silence as a prelude to presidential elections due on Sunday following two weeks of heated campaigns by the nominees.
Up to 19 candidates have been jostling to win the Senegalese minds and hearts and occupy the presidential post for a five-year mandate.
The head of the Independent Election Commission, Abdullah Silla, said in a statement broadcast by the Senegalese news agency that the commission observers and representatives of the nominees would be present at the ballot stations.
This is the first time that such elections are held without the nomination of the president, he said.
President Mackay Sall had delayed the elections that were originally set on February 25, however, the constitutional council had intervened, amid public protests, annulling the president's decision and ordering that the voting must be held before the end of his tenure. Later on, he set the balloting on March 24.
The election general directorate reported that the elections would be supervised by 2,457 observers including 1,568 national observers and 889 foreign ones.
The contenders include the prominent nominee of the ruling coalition, Benno Bokk Yakaar,
the former minister Amadou Ba, the candidate of the opposition coalition Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was recently released from jail to run for the post as an alternative to the eminent opponent Ousmane Sonko, whose nomination was canceled by the constitution council.
Among the leading contenders are the former capital mayor Khalifa Sall, and Idrissa Seck who had come second in the 2019 voting. The contenders have been struggling to persuade the voters of their manifestos to tackle heaps of social and economic issues and challenges.
Inflation, boosting the national sovereignty, reforming education and agricultural issues dominate the agenda of the seat's seekers.
The nominee of the ruling party and the former minister, Amadou Ba, has promised the voters that he would seek political conciliation, tackle inflation and protect the vulnerable namely the elderly.
The opposition contender, Bassirou Diomaye, has pledged to uproot corruption, end dealings in the French franc, trim the French influence and encourage the education of the English language.
For his part, Ibrahim Seck who was prime minister between 2002 and 2004, has vowed to invest huge sums to heal the ailing economy, boost development in rural regions and create a common currency for the West African states.
As for Khalifa Sall, who had served as Dakar mayor, he has focused on political conciliation, reforming the institutions, rebuilding the economy, overhauling agriculture, diversifying external partners and establishing ties with the emerging and southern states.
Observers believe that the election is an opportunity to resolve the political crisis, fomented with a conflict between the ruling coalition and the opposition. (end)
mry
MENAFN23032024000071011013ID1108012756
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.