Senegal is awaiting on Friday the first speech in months by anti-system opponents Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, now able to lead the presidential campaign on the strength of the excitement raised by their release from prison ten days before the election.

The Supreme Court, for its part, spared the country a new drama by rejecting on Friday the requests of disqualified presidential candidates, including Karim Wade, who requested the suspension of the decrees setting the date of the election and the duration of the campaign .

The Court declared these requests “inadmissible”.

A difficult to quantify crowd of at least several thousand jubilant Dakar residents gathered until late at night amid songs and dances to celebrate the release of the two men, in front of the Cape Manuel prison, alongside their procession and in front of Ousmane Sonko's home.

The latter, actor in a deadly standoff lasting more than two years with power, has remained invisible to most people.

His foal, presidential candidate in his place and with his consent, showed himself briefly, standing through the sunroof of his car to address the crowd, in a blue boubou, white cap and national flag on the shoulders.

Read alsoPresidential election in Senegal: “the Sonko movement” is reorganized around Bassirou Diomaye Faye

Smiling after almost a year of detention and posed despite the clamor, he praised the “support and (the) solidarity” shown by his supporters.

He put forward what his camp calls "the project" to mean that accession to the presidency is not a personal affair between him and Ousmane Sonko.

Depending on their camp, the two men must give a press conference in a hotel in Dakar from 3:00 p.m. GMT, then travel around the capital to meet their many supporters.

“Multiplier effect”

Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye benefited from an amnesty law adopted last week at the instigation of President Macky Sall to, said the latter, appease spirits after three years of tensions, revived by a last minute postponement of the presidential election.

After days of conjecture, the law was promulgated and "it is because it is promulgated (that they) are out," said Yoro Dia, presidential spokesperson.

The spontaneous gathering around them is the largest to have accompanied the candidates, 19 in total, since the launch of the campaign.

It confirms the influence of Bassirou Diomaye Faye and much more of Ousmane Sonko, whose name was on everyone's lips even though he was not a candidate.

This ripple effect will be put to the test during the campaign.

“Ousmane Sonko out (this) completely changes the situation of the election (...) Bringing him out into the middle of the campaign can have a multiplier effect,” assures Maurice Dione, professor of political science at the University of Saint-Louis.

The official campaign opened on March 9 without the two men taking part.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye was prevented from recording his messages for public television.

Read alsoPresidential election in Senegal: an express campaign, in the middle of Ramadan, to get out of the crisis

His camp campaigned for him, presenting the program of a man who wants to be the "candidate for system change" and "left-wing pan-Africanism", promises to restore Senegal's sovereignty and will renegotiate, if it is elected, gas and oil exploitation contracts as well as defense agreements.

Sovereignists, Pan-Africanists

This platform presents the characteristic themes of Ousmane Sonko, whose diatribes against corruption, elites, multinationals and the economic and political influence exercised, according to him, by the former French colonial power, made the success of Pastef, his party.

Its indictment by the courts, combined with economic and social tensions and the vagueness long maintained by President Sall over a third term, gave rise between 2021 and 2023 to various episodes of riots, looting and ransacking.

President Sall has given up on running for office.

But the postponement at the last minute of the presidential election initially scheduled for February 25 caused new clashes.

Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds arrested since 2021 during unrest which has greatly shaken a country considered one of the most stable in West Africa shaken by force.

Dakar residents hold up a portrait of Senegalese opponent Ousmane Sonko, released from prison, on March 15, 2024 in Dakar © Guy PETERSON / AFP

Ousmane Sonko, 49, was finally arrested at the end of July 2023, and charged with calling for insurrection, criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist enterprise and endangering state security.

His party was dissolved.

After his disqualification from the presidential election in January, his camp nominated Bassirou Diomaye Faye in his place.

This secretary general of Pastef had himself been detained since April 2023. He was charged with contempt of court, defamation and acts likely to compromise public peace, according to one of his lawyers.

With AFP

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