Senegal’s president says the postponed election will be held before the rainy season begins

By BABACAR DIONE
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s President Macky Sall has told a national dialogue that elections will be held before the rainy season begins around July, and reiterated his commitment to leave office before his mandate ends in April. But the election’s 16 candidates have refused to take part in the dialogue. They insist that an election date must be set as soon as possible in line with a court order earlier this month. Sall had postponed the election while citing unresolved disputes over who could run, but the Constitutional Court struck down the delay as illegal. Senegal had been seen as one of Africa’s most stable democracies.