This Wednesday, Ousmane Sonko calls for demonstrations during his trial, while the Dakar prefecture had banned gatherings.
In Senegal, we are now used to passing arms between opposition and power. Ousmane Sonko's strategy to put pressure on Macky Sall involves a strong mobilization of his activists, in particular at the time of court decisions that are unfavorable to it. This time, it was a ban on demonstrations, decided by the Dakar prefecture, which angered the Yewwi Askan Wi coalition, which decided to maintain its call to go out on the streets on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ousmane Sonko is accused of defamation for the Minister of Tourism. His trial, a few days ago, had inflamed the country. A trial which, in the end, had been postponed. Ousmane Sonko then claimed to have been the victim of an assassination attempt fomented by the power in place. Less than two weeks later, the trial is due to resume. And if he usually calls for calm, Sonko this time wants the demonstrators to challenge the prefecture.
What worry the presidency, which still has in mind the images of the violent demonstrations of two years ago. Justice indicated the existence of a group “aiming at the insurrection”. "During investigations, an organization calling itself 'commando' emerged", which targets "public figures in the judiciary, the state apparatus, religious and the press", according to the Attorney General from Dakar.
About twenty people "jeopardizing the stability of the country" are currently wanted, while four others have been arrested. They are accused of “subversive activities going to the making of explosive agents, smoke bombs, molotov cocktails. And the purpose of all this is to take brilliant actions to install fear and chaos, and the fertile ground is demonstrations.
What provoke the anger of Ousmane Sonko, who warns: "We will go out, we will demonstrate, we will face Macky Sall".