In the historic city of Saint-Louis, Senegal, a student tragically lost his life amidst violent protests sparked by the delay of the presidential election, a situation escalating fears of political instability in the nation. The interior ministry confirmed the death of Alpha Yero Tounkara, a student, emphasizing that an investigation is underway while clarifying that security forces did not engage in the university campus where the incident occurred.
The protests, marking a significant outburst of discontent, were ignited by parliament’s decision to postpone the February 25 presidential vote to December, effectively extending President Macky Sall‘s tenure. This move has stoked concerns of democratic backsliding in West Africa, a region already troubled by coups.
President Sall, at the helm of one of West Africa’s enduring democracies, cited electoral credibility issues as the rationale behind the election delay. However, the opposition views this as an “institutional coup,” critiquing the president’s attempt to cling to power beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms.
