Opposition lawmakers detained in Senegal as election delay controversy rages   

Three Senegalese opposition lawmakers have been detained following the parliament’s vote to postpone the presidential election by 10 months and automatically extend the tenure of President Macky Sall.

El Malick Ndiaye, the spokesperson of the disbanded opposition Pastef party confirmed to Reuters news agency that the three lawmakers from the opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi were arrested on Tuesday.

He condemned the arrest while alleging that “Senegal has definitively sunk into dictatorship,”

Recall that lawmakers adopted an unexpected proposal to hold the election on Dec. 15, rather than Feb. 25, effectively extending President Macky Sall’s mandate, which has provoked public protests and international anxiety.

The US Department of State has since expressed grave concern about the election postponement, stating it was “contrary to Senegal’s strong democratic tradition.”

In its part, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) did not directly mention the new election date, but it did speculate in a statement that the postponement is unconstitutional.

Sall, who is not running in the election after serving two terms in office as stipulated by the constitution, argued that the delay became necessary due to a disagreement over the candidate list and allegations of corruption within the constitutional body that handled the process.

The postponement was met with heavy opposition with at least three of the 20 presidential candidates submitting legal challenges to the delay.

Two other candidates have vowed to take a similar step.