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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Massive show of force for Senegal's Wade |
| 2011-07-25 |
| [Dawn] Hundreds of thousands turned out in support of Senegal ... 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... 's President Abdoulaye Wade on Saturday, in a massive show of force by the 85-year-old leader who is seeking a controversial third term in office. The ruling party rally dwarfed an opposition protest held earlier in the day to pressure Wade to drop his plans to contest February 2012 elections, which his critics say is unconstitutional. But a defiant Wade countered with his rally which saw hundreds of thousands of people swarming the boulevard in front of the ruling party's headquarters in Dakar, an AFP journalist said. Speaking to thunderous applause he congratulated the country for holding two peaceful rallies a month after violent riots plunged the capital into chaos. "Senegal has shown its maturity ... we want peace that allows everyone to express themselves and to vote, but once the verdict is passed it must be accepted, and we must become brothers once again," Wade said. Senegal's Information Minister Moustafa Guirassy said between 1.8 and two million people were at the ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) rally. "I came to support Wade who achieved in 10 years that which no president before him did," said Dieynaba Sidibe from Tambacounda in the south-east. The massive show of force by the ruling party came a few hours after an opposition rally where between 10,000 and 50,000, depending on sources, turned out to demand Wade ditch his plans to run for a third term in office. "No to a third term for Wade", "Wade go, Wade out" read placards brandished by protesters, who had to move their rally to the suburbs after political gatherings were banned in downtown Dakar earlier this week. "Wade said (in 2007) he wasn't going to run again, he must respect his word. All Senegal's problems come from him," said one protester, Alpha Ciss. While the president has acknowledged he did say this, he has since said he has the right to change his mind. Major opposition leaders such as Ousmane Tanor Dieng of the Socialist Party (PS), civil society figures and former Wade allies such as ex-prime minister Idrissa Seck, addressed the crowd. "This mobilisation shows the determination of the Senegalese people to put an end to Wade's regime. They have been heard. Abdoulaye Wade cannot be a candidate, Abdoulaye Wade will not be a candidate," said Abdoulaye Bathily of the Democratic League. The protests come one month to the day after riots broke out as parliament examined proposed changes to election laws, leaving over 100 injured in the biggest demonstrations since Wade came to power in 2000. The changes were later shelved because of the pressure from the street and harsh criticism from abroad. The proposed changes would have added a vice president to the presidential ticket and dropped the winning threshold for a first-round victory to 25 per cent of the votes from the current 50 per cent. Wade's critics believe he is trying to smooth the way for his 42-year-old son Karim to succeed him without having to run for office himself. Karim Wade is considered too unpopular to win on his own ticket. The president has dismissed the claim. The national debate has heightened tension in the west African country, a bastion of stability in a troubled region which has always known a peaceful transfer of power and never undergone a coup d'etat. Senegal's first president after independence from La Belle France in 1960, Leopold Senghor, resigned after two decades in office in favour of his prime minister Abdou Diouf in 1981, who accepted defeat when trumped by Wade. Wade was first elected for a seven-year term in 2000 and again in 2007 for a five-year mandate after a constitutional change shortened the presidential term. According to the constitution, the president can only serve two terms. However Wade's supporters say this provision only came into play after the change in the law -- which would mean he is entitled to seek another term in office. Wade's camp says the final decision rests with the constitutional council. |
| Posted by:Fred |