TO THE casual observer, all seems well in Senegal. Visitors to Dakar, the capital, fly into a new world-class airport. The economy grew by 6.8% last year and the discovery of natural gas heralds an even brighter economic future. To boot, the national team has performed well at the football World Cup.
But the political graffiti scrawled across Dakar’s walls tell a different story. The messages demand freedom for the political opponents of President Macky Sall, several of whom have been imprisoned. With a presidential election just eight months away, fears are growing that democracy in Senegal, long an example for west Africa, is being subverted.
The political system has been tested before. Unlike most west African countries, Senegal has never had a military coup, but in 2012 the previous president, Abdoulaye Wade, did run for a third term, which the constitution proscribes. Mr Sall, riding a wave of popular anger, defeated...Continue reading
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