Student Killed in Senegal During Protests Over Friday’s Vote Delay – Ministry Reports

DAKAR (Reuters) – A student was killed in the Senegalese city of Saint-Louis during violent protests on Friday against the postponement of the presidential election, as confirmed by the interior ministry on Saturday.

The unrest, which involved clashes between security forces and protesters, spread across Senegal’s capital and various cities. This marked the first significant outbreak of violence related to the election delay, raising concerns about potential long-lasting instability in the country.

In a statement, the ministry reported the death of student Alpha Yero Tounkara and announced that an investigation would be launched. However, it asserted that the security forces were not responsible for his death. “The Defence and Security Forces did not intervene to maintain order on the university campus where the death occurred,” the statement noted.

It remains uncertain whether protests will resume on Saturday. Continued clashes with security forces could exacerbate fears regarding a decline in democratic practices.

With less than three weeks until the originally scheduled presidential vote on February 25, parliament voted to postpone it until December, effectively extending President Macky Sall’s mandate. This decision has sparked worries that Senegal, one of the few remaining democracies in a region plagued by coups, may be in jeopardy.

Sall, who has already served the constitutionally mandated two terms, claimed the delay was necessary due to disputes jeopardizing the electoral process’s credibility. However, many in the opposition have condemned this action as an “institutional coup.”