In Senegal, is Ousmane Sonko doing too much?

Staging of his trial, denunciation of an assassination attempt and call for a strike… Senegalese opponent Ousmane Sonko does everything to get people talking about him. But, one year before the presidential election, didn't he leave a little too soon?

The least we can say is that Ousmane Sonko has learned to master his communication. The proof with the politicization of a trial for rape charges which, in normal times, should have remained in the miscellaneous section of the newspapers. It must be said that the opponent of Macky Sall masters the media and social networks very well. We remember how, two years ago, he staged his journey to court. Having decided to go on his own to the judges, Sonko had broadcast, on his social networks, a live of his judicial day. And in view of the disorder he had caused, the opponent had been arrested, accused of "disturbing public order".

Since, Ousmane Sonko uses the same strategy almost every time : for another case, defamation this time, against the Minister of Tourism, the opponent staged his journey to court. Deciding to bypass the police route to take his own. And, of course, letting himself be filmed in full battle with the police. “At each of his outings, Sonko calls for calm on one side, while haranguing his supporters on the other, says a specialist in Senegalese politics. In the eyes of the international media, he appears as a pacifist who would be harassed by the authorities, on which he puts perpetual pressure ».

Calls for strikes and civil disobedience

But in recent days, Ousmane Sonko may have done a little too much... The boss of the African Patriots of Senegal for work, ethics and fraternity (Pastef) claims to have been the victim of a assassination attempt and directly accuses Macky Sall. Sonko says he had to be hospitalized for five days after inhaling tear gas on his way to court. The Senegalese president, writes Sonko, "openly engages in yet another assassination attempt on my person." If the opponent awaits the results of the samples taken by him, it is difficult to imagine such practices in Senegal.

Ousmane Sonko could also never publish test results. And his exit regarding a supposed assassination attempt could simply be part of a strategy: to appear as the person to be killed and so on. prepare for possible ineligibility for the presidential election. Sonko shows that he knows how to mobilize and warns that he will be ready for anything in case of absence during the upcoming campaign. Moreover, he did not hesitate to call a two-day general strike, even civil disobedience. One oute which contrasts with his usual calls for calm: Macky Sall, he says, “must understand that the country does not belong to him. He did not inherit Senegal, we just gave it to him. No more ".