The Senegalese government has temporarily cut mobile internet services in response to protests sparked by President Macky Sall’s decision to indefinitely postpone the presidential election.
Communication Minister Moussa Bocar Thiam justified the move, citing the need to prevent the spread of “hateful and subversive messages relayed on social networks in a context of threats of disturbances to public order.”
News About Nigeria reported that President Sall announced the postponement on Saturday, just hours before the official start of campaigning for the election initially scheduled for February 25.
This marks the first time a Senegalese presidential election has been postponed and has led to tensions between the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court over the rejection of candidates.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed concern about the delay in the presidential election.
Lawmakers are set to discuss a bill proposing the rescheduling of the election for August 25, allowing President Sall to remain in office until his successor is sworn in officially.
Protesters, reportedly rallied by opposition figures, gathered outside the parliament chanting slogans against President Sall.
Opposition candidate and former Prime Minister Aminata Touré, who was reportedly arrested during Sunday’s protest, called for mobilisation to defend democracy and opposed the postponement of the presidential election in an online post.
“Let us all mobilise to defend our democracy. No to the postponement of the presidential election,” she said in an online post.
Another opposition candidate, Daouda Ndiaye, claimed to have been attacked by police and emphasised the importance of holding the election on February 25.
The hashtag #FreeSenegal is currently trending on social media platform X.
