Court in Senegal clears opposition figure Sonko for Presidential race

A Senegalese judge in Dakar has approved Ousmane Sonko’s reinstatement on the electoral registers, renewing the imprisoned opponent’s candidacy for the presidential election in February 2024.

Bamba Cisse, one of Sonko’s lawyers, stated that it was a question of respecting the right to vote.” The Senegalese people want to be able to vote for and pick their own president.”

Ousmane Sonko was removed from the electoral roll after being sentenced to two years in prison in June for morally influencing a young person.

He has been at the centre of a stand-off with the state that has lasted more than two years and sparked several episodes of deadly unrest.

In ordering Sonko’s reinstatement, the judge in the capital Dakar confirmed a ruling in October by a court in Ziguinchor, the southern city where Sonko is mayor.

Last month, the West African nation’s top court had disagreed with that regional court ruling.

But it nevertheless decided that Sonko’s case should go back to the Dakar court.

Sonko now has until December 26th to present his candidacy for the February election and secure the requisite sponsorship.

Sonko, 49, was found guilty in absentia of morally influencing a young person on June 1st and sentenced to two years in prison.

He denounced the trial as a ploy to keep him out of the presidential election.

He was arrested in late July on further allegations of inciting insurgency, criminally associating with a terrorist organization, and harming state security.

Since then, he has gone on hunger strike on several occasions.