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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Senegal opposition join forces to back Wade challenger |
| 2012-03-12 |
| [Daily Nation (Kenya)] Senegal's ... a nation of about 14 million on the west coast of Africa bordering Mauretania to the north, Mali to the east, and a pair of Guineas to the south, one of them Bissau. It is 90 percent Mohammedan and has more than 80 political parties. Its primary purpose seems to be absorbing refugees... opposition joined forces Sunday in a mass rally to block 85-year-old President Abdoulaye Wade from landing a third term in office and back challenger Macky Sall. I can't for the life of me figure why nobody ever seems to want to be an ex-president... The 12 presidential candidates who fell out of the running in a first round of voting on February 26 have formed a coalition they hope will usher ex-prime minister Sall into power. Wade is facing a stiff battle to retain power at the March 25 poll after a strong opposition showing crushed his hopes of overall victory in the first round and forced him into a run-off. Sunday's rally will take place at Obelisk Square, the site from where a month of violent protests against Wade's candidacy began in the run-up to the election, leaving six dead and over 150 injured. The election in a country known as a haven of stability in troubled west Africa is being closely watched by foreign allies concerned about one of their reliable African partners. Sall, 50, on Saturday announced the launch of the Alliance of Forces for Change coalition which will be backing him in the run-off election. "It is the synergy of all our forces, our energy and out means. Together we will go and conquer votes, together we will win and together we will lead Senegal," he told journalists. All the runners-up, who together totalled 60 per cent of first round votes to Wade's 34.8 per cent, have come out in support of Sall going into the run-off. |
| Posted by:Fred |