Ouestafnews – The legislative elections of November 17, 2024 in Senegal took place calmly and without major dysfunctions. One of the opposition coalitions, however, denounced irregularities and questioned the Minister of the Interior. The first trends seem favorable to the government. At the same time, two other coalitions have already congratulated Pastef for “its victory”.
The polling stations, which opened at 8:00 a.m., began to close from 6:00 p.m. (local and GMT). The participation rate at the end of the vote stood at 49.72%, at the end of the vote, according to figures provided by Radiotélévision Sénégalaise (RTS, public) on these digital platforms.
As soon as the polling stations closed, the first results – fragmentary and unofficial – began to flood social networks. Local radio stations also began to distill these results as they became available. The first trends, four hours after polling stations closed, seemed favorable to the ruling party, although no official results had been communicated at the time of publishing this article.
Journalists from Ouestaf News as well as its network of partner radio stations, established inside Senegal, were able to note, throughout the day, that the vote took place generally calmly throughout the country. .
Until the polling stations closed, no scene of violence or major incident was reported to our editorial staff.
This peaceful atmosphere was welcomed by the Senegalese president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who voted in his home town of Ndiaganiao, located about a hundred kilometers southeast of Dakar.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, head of the list of the ruling party, Pastef (African Patriots of Senegal for work, ethics and fraternity) also welcomed the “calm” which reigned at the opening of the offices voting.
On the opposition side, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, who leads one of the coalitions in the race, welcomed the order and discipline in which the vote took place.
The tone is different in other opposition camps. The Takku Wallu Senegal coalition, led by former president Macky Sall, released a press release a few hours before the poll closed to denounce “the countless irregularities”. Odds which, according to these opponents, are likely to “taint the sincerity of the vote” in Senegal and in the diaspora.
The coalition notes that in Mbour (south-east of Dakar), nearly 2,000 voters “did not know where to vote” until 1:30 p.m. and in Ziguinchor (south), stronghold of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, there were voter jams. ballot boxes are reported. Takku Wallu Senegal also announces that other irregularities have been recorded in Toglou in the commune of Diass (west), not far from Dakar. The Takku Wallu Senegal Coalition called for opposition to this “strategy of sabotage and confiscation of the vote” of Senegalese citizens.
Without waiting for official results and based on available trends, the main leaders of the Samm Sa Kaddu opposition coalition have already congratulated the ruling party for its victory. These include Bougane Guèye Dany, Anta Babacar Ngom and Barthélémy Diaz. Likewise, the former Prime Minister, Amadou Ba of the Jàmm Ak Njariñ coalition also congratulated Pastef for its “victory”.
Bougane Guèye Dany, congratulated in the evening, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, head of the Pastef (power) list through a post on his official Facebook page. According to him, the Senegalese confirmed the choice made during the presidential election in March 2024.
Speaking on behalf of the Gueum Sa Bopp political movement that he leads, he thanked his companions in the Samm Sa Kaddu coalition and urged those in power to “lean in” on meeting the needs of citizens.
Earlier in the day, Bougane Guèye Dany, candidate nominated on the same list as the mayor of Dakar, Barthélémy Dias, denounced “irregularities” reported throughout the country by representatives of the Samm Sa Kaddu list of which he is a member. .
Invested on the same list as Bougane Guèye, the mayor of Dakar, Barthélémy Diaz, also congratulated the ruling party, admitting that the Senegalese chose to confirm the verdict of the March 2024 presidential election which brought President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to power .
Anta Babacar Ngom does the same, on local radio and on his social networks.
For his part, former Prime Minister and head of the coalition list Jàmm Ak Njariñ “warmly congratulated Pastef for this victory which reflects the will of the people”.
Observers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) expressed their satisfaction with the conduct of the elections, midday after the field visits.
In a press release sent to Ouestaf News, the joint ECOWAS-AU mission appreciated “the calm and peaceful climate” which reigned during the voting day. The coordinator of the ECOWAS – AU joint mission welcomed “that no major incident” had been reported before urging the different camps to accept the results which will be announced by the authorized bodies.
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