Dakar: Senegalese President Macky Sall said on Thursday his mandate would end as planned on April 2, but left open a new date for presidential elections, which he postponed to early this month.
Sall faced a demand to set a date for the vote after his sudden delay to the February 25 election sparked weeks of crisis.
Amid simmering social and political tensions, the president postponed a decision on a date until after a political dialogue scheduled to begin on Monday.
In an apparent move to appease public opinion, Sall also said he would consider releasing jailed opposition figures Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
“On April 2, 2024, my mission ends at the head of Senegal,” the president said, seemingly ending suspicions that he might stay in office longer than expected.
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“As for the date, we will see what the dialogue comes up with,” he added during a televised press conference.
“Elections can be held before or after April 2,” he said.
But when pressed, he added that he didn’t think it would be possible before April 2.
Sall said he would hold discussions with presidential candidates and other political and social actors on Monday and Tuesday.
“At the end of the dialogue, we have to have a date,” he said.
Sall announced the delay of the election hours before the official campaign was due to begin. Parliament backed the move despite strong opposition, and Sall then set a new date for elections in December.
