March 24, 2024, Senegal – Senegalese voters are going to the polls today to elect their next president among a crowded field of 17 candidates.
The delayed polls take place following a period of uncertainty after President Macky Sall’s unsuccessful effort to delay the election until December. After weeks of violent protests, his decision was overturned by Senegal’s top election authority.
Outgoing President Macky Sall, whose second and final term expires on April 2, is not running again. He has also promised to peacefully handover to his elected successor.
A long list of candidates are running, but two former tax inspectors – one representing the government, the other the main opposition coalition – are considered frontrunners.
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Forty-year-old Anta Babacar Ngom is the only female among the 19 candidates. As the owner of Senegal’s largest poultry company, she will become the first female president if elected.
As reported by Aljazeera, Ngom says she wants to boost the private sector, promote free healthcare and reform Senegal’s education system, including adding local languages on top of French.
The Accra Times is monitoring the elections and will update this story with new details as they come in.