Sonko’s fans, at least, don’t see any other scenario for the future than Sonko as president.
The 48-year-old politician, who has announced his ambition to run for president in 2024, was scheduled to testify before a criminal court in Dakar on Tuesday, May 17, about a rape allegation.
He didn’t, though, do that. He was at Ziguinchor, the largest city in southern Senegal, which was several hundred km away.
Sonko serves as the city’s mayor as well. There, he has been unemployed for several days. Finally, his trial was set for May 23.
Simon and his young companions stood vigil Tuesday (May 16) around the house of the man they saw as their rescuer despite a restless night and numerous altercations with police the day before in Casamance’s city.
They despise Macky Sall as president. They charge that he abandoned them. Many of them are struggling financially and are either jobless or make ends meet with part-time work.
They have controlled the main streets of the city while donning masks and wielding sticks or stones. Since Monday (May 16), those have been covered with burning tyres and stone debris.
The pathways leading to the home of the PASTEF party’s leader have been blocked by the young men. Ousmane Sonko has asserted time and time again that there is a government scheme afoot to ruin his political career.
In the past, Sonko and his party have been charged with adopting a “insurrectionary mindset” by the ruling Alliance for the Republic party.
The majority of the opposition party’s youthful supporters, who are between the ages of 18 and 30, believe that the state is trying to apprehend the mayor of Ziguinchor.
“We are ready to leave our lives in this fight. The one who wants to get Sonko out of here will have to walk over our dead bodies”, says a young man in the middle of a group. All of them are hooded and carry bottles of vinegar to protect themselves from tear gas, they say
Others who are “fighting this fight” are some women who are singing and dancing in front of the opponent’s home while wearing all black. They are a part of the “sacred wood,” a historical group with supernatural qualities. A protester adds, “They are there to protect Ousmane Sonko.”
Violent Protests
Many demonstrators before them have already died, despite their claims that they are willing to devote their lives in order to save Sonko. Senegal had widespread unrest in March 2021 as a result of the political opponent’s detention while he was en route to a court date related to a rape charge [Editor’s Note: His court date has been postponed to May 23 and pertains to the same case].
Sonko had his parliamentary immunity lifted prior to that occurrence after numerous members of his party, Pastef-Les Patriotes, and the civil society were allegedly “arbitrarily arrested” by Amnesty International.
The majority of the victims’ relatives are still hoping for justice two years later.
Fear and Rage
Ziguinchor appears to be in shutdown given its past and the current level of hostility. Most stores are shut. Schools are also.
at the confrontations with the police, Simon is at the forefront. The father claims he is battling for “the future of his son” and “that of Senegal“.
The 27-year-old, who works as an electrician, bemoans the “endemic” unemployment in the area. “I can go three months without a job to the point where it’s hard to give 500 francs [Editor’s note: about 0.83 USD] to the house,” he claims.
Age 29 is Ansou. At the Assane Seck University in Ziguinchor, he studies mathematics. He, too, is overcome with rage and hopelessness. He claims that, like Simon, he has trouble finding employment.
“We be busy around every day but achieve nothing. It hurts, we can’t even help our parents,” Maurice who agrees whole heartedly with Ansou confesses.
“With him there will be no more injustice, no more thieves in this country. He is a man of principle,” the young man adds, revealing he is ready to fight and even give up his life for the cause.
Despite the court date for Ousman Sonko’s trial being postponed, the skirmishes on Tuesday, May 16, continued at noon amid police tear gas and youngsters under the age of 10 roaming around and ready to throw stones.
