In May, Senegal’s High Court of Justice (Haute Cour de justice) indicted five former government ministers on charges of embezzlement and mismanagement of Covid-190 relief funds. The ministers served in the previous government of former President Macky Sall and are alleged to have misappropriated millions of dollars intended for pandemic relief and public welfare in what has become one of the biggest corruption scandals in Senegal’s political history. Their indictment followed a National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) vote earlier in the month referring the ministers to the court, which has a special jurisdiction to prosecute senior government officials. Close associates of Macky Sall have alleged that the cases are politically motivated but the government has insisted on the independence of the judicial process.

Sources: Radio France Internationale, Jeune Afrique, New York University School of Law

On 22 April, Senegal’s government ordered the immediate suspension of the activities of media outlets not in compliance with the country’s Press Code, citing the need to professionalise the sector. An evaluation carried out by the state regulator found that 381 of Senegal’s 639 media outlets were non-compliant. While recognising the need to regularise the media sector, which is disorganised and economically fragile, critics argued that the short deadlines for compliance are impractical and that the suspensions will exacerbate pre-existing financial and operational challenges. The suspension order follows several measures by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s administration that have strained the sector. These include reversing a decision to cancel media outlets’ tax debts, freezing some media companies’ bank accounts, and cancelling state advertising contracts.

Sources: MFWA, Sene News, Le Quotidien, Radio France Internationale 

Senegal’s legislative elections, held on 17 November, were won by the country’s governing party, the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l'éthique et la fraternité, PASTEF), which secured 130 of the 165 (78.8 per cent) seats in the National Assembly. This represents a 132.1 per cent increase in the party’s seat share, which prior to the election was 56, and comes 8 months after it won the Presidential election in March. The main opposition coalition led by former President Macky Sall, Takku Wallu Sénégal, came second, winning 16 seats, followed by the Jàmm ak Njariñ coalition led by former Prime Minister Amadou Ba (7 seats). Voter turnout was 49.5 per cent of registered voters (up from 46.6 per cent in 2022). Sixty-eight of the 165 elected legislators (41.2 per cent) are women (down from 46.1 per cent in 2022). International observers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gave the elections a positive assessment, noting that the voting process was generally smooth and the atmosphere largely peaceful.

Sources: Vie-Publique.sn (1), Jeune Afrique, Vie-Publique.sn (2),  L'Agence de presse sénégalaise

On 8 October, Senegal’s Ministry of Education published a decree requiring all schools to allow students to wear religious symbols within the school premises, in the classroom and during educational activities. The decree follows recent comments made by the country’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, in which he appeared to criticise Catholic schools that did not allow students to wear the veil. While Catholic schools in Senegal (a constitutionally secular country) do not explicitly ban the veil, there have been occasions where veiled students have been prevented from attending class at such institutions and it is a highly contentious issue. There are over 300 Catholic schools in Senegal which, despite their religious affiliation, are attended by students from the Muslim majority.

Sources: Jeune Afrique, The Conversation, La Croix International, U.S. State Department