President Macky Sall justifies reason for postponing Senegal election

President Macky Sall of Senegal has spoken for the first time since he announced the postponement of the presidential election which has generated reactions from the international community and protests at home.

The president announced the decision to delay the February 25 election citing the need to resolve a dispute over the eligibility of presidential candidates.

The decision, as approved by the Senegalese MPs, gave Mr Sall an additional ten-month extension in office.

While commenting on his move to change the election date, the embattled president clarified that the decision to intervene was necessary to prevent worse electoral chaos.

He denied that he plans to reinvent himself as a dictator or non-democrat as claimed by the opposition.

Senegal’s president stressed that a new dialogue can solve the crisis the country is facing through the establishment of trust between the actors and bring peace

Despite his pledge not to stay longer in office, opposition parties have accused the incumbent president of trying to cling to power by force.

Protests against the delay of the election recorded its first casualty after a student after a student was killed in St Louis.

The international community including the regional ECOWAS bloc have called for urgent steps to be taken to restore the electoral calendar as provided by the constitution.