Supporters wait before a campaign meeting of Amadou Ba, candidate of the Alliance For the Republic Party (APR), designated by former president for the Presidential elections, in Diourbel.
Seven million Senegalese are due to head to the polls on Sunday to vote in a wide open presidential election following weeks of chaos and uncertainty.
Whoever comes out on top will be tasked with steering the traditionally stable West African nation out of years of turmoil, and managing revenues from recently discovered oil and gas reserves.
The 18 men and one woman have until tomorrow to finish a raucous two-week campaigning period, which was dramatically shortened after a last-minute change to the election date.
The election race was also fired up by a rapidly-passed amnesty law that led last week to the release from prison of Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the charismatic Ousmane Sonko, figureheads of the anti-establishment opposition. Although Faye is Sonko’s deputy, the former is on the ballot because the latter has been barred from standing.
In voters’ eyes, they come as a package deal.
They plan “to share resources fairly. What belongs to Senegal should be left to Senegal, that’s patriotism,” said 38-year-old teacher Gnima Mane in the southern city of Ziguinchor.
For the first time in Senegal, the incumbent will not feature on the ballot, with the candidate selected by outgoing President Macky Sall’s governing coalition up against 18 rivals.
In the central town of Diourbel, many people have faith in Sall’s candidate, Amadou Ba.
“We have new streetlights, roads and a grass stadium,” said high school student Ousseynou Diene during a rally for Ba.
Senegal has traditionally been considered a beacon of democracy and stability in coup-hit West Africa.
