Senegal Presidential Election: Voters Await Results

Vote counting is now underway in Senegal after close to 6.7 million people out of a population of 15 million went to the polls on February 24, 2019 in a presidential race. Incumbent Macky Sall was challenged by Issa Sall, Ousmane Sonko, Madicke Niang and Idrissa Seck. Polling stations opened on time at 8 am local time with long queues of voters waiting to make their choice. Official results are due on March 1, 2019, with a run-off on March 24 if no one secures an outright majority.

Third time contender, Idrissa Seck, is a former Prime Minister; while a former tax inspector, Ousmane Sonko, is popular among the youth. Madicke Niang is a barrister-at-law, and Issa Sall, a professor of Information Technology. All five candidates voted in their strongholds in a poll that passed off peacefully as it is common with the country, agency reports said. Idrissa Seck voted in Thiès, Ousmane Sonko in the Casamance headquarters, Ziguinchor; while Madické Niang was in the holy city of Touba. President Macky Sall, who is seeking a second term, voted in his home town of Fatick in the western part of the country. All candidates had an eye on cities with the highest number of inhabitants – the capital, Dakar with one million people and Pikine, with a population of 1.2 million – hoping to tilt the vote in their favour.

Macky Sall is expected to win after strong economic growth in the first term. The country’s fish exports...