Days after Senegal’s President Macky Sall announced that the February 25 presidential election would be delayed following complaints, the African Union (AU) has urged the West African country to hold its presidential elections as soon as possible.
AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement late on Sunday that Senegal should “organise the elections as soon as possible, in transparency, peace and national harmony”.
“It strongly encourages all political and social forces to resolve any political dispute through civilised consultation, understanding and dialogue..,” the statement added.
Senegal has never delayed a presidential election, and Sall’s announcement on Saturday pitched the country into uncharted constitutional waters that some opposition and civil society groups said amounted to an “institutional coup”.
Senegal’s lawmakers are due to debate on Monday a proposal to hold the vote on Aug. 25 and keep Sall in power until his successor is installed, according to the text of a bill seen by Reuters.
