logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
19m 9s

How did Senegal end up postponing electi...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Senegal has long had the reputation of being a bastion of democracy in Africa.

It has been a stable democracy in a region that’s often been blighted by instability.

In fact, it is the only country in mainland West Africa that has never had a military takeover.

But a recent postponement of the election by 10 months has seen Senegalese take to the streets saying they are worried their country’s reputation is at risk.

So how did Senegal get to this point and what next for the country?

Alan Kasujja has been speaking to Senegalese journalist Borso Tall and political analyst Ibrahima Kane.

Up next
Aug 22
Focus on Africa: Exploring Africa-Japan trade ties
Japan has pledged to work more closely with African countries at global summit on economic development. How can Africa benefit from stronger ties with Japan?The former prime minister of Chad is facing a 20-year prison term after being convicted of hate speech, xenophobia and havi ... Show More
32m 3s
Aug 20
Focus on Africa: Increased concerns over missing Ethiopia journalists
Two prominent journalists in Ethiopia, Abdulsemed Mohammed and Yonas Amare, have been missing for more than a week after being abducted by what reports say, were men wearing masks and military uniforms. There has been no news about their whereabouts but their disappearances have ... Show More
27m 44s
Aug 15
Focus on Africa: Nigeria negotiates $346m arms deal with US
The US government has approved a $346m arms deal with Nigeria which would include munitions, precision bombs and precision rockets. What is behind the change in a decade-long US policy about selling certain kinds of weapons to Nigeria?The mining of gold has been a key driver of S ... Show More
33m 14s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
Can Senegal’s democracy hang on?
Senegal has a reputation as being a beacon of stability in West Africa. Even (whisper it) a bit boring when it comes to politics - but in the last few months all that has changed. Senegal was supposed to hold a presidential election in February but that hasn’t happened and no new ... Show More
12m 26s
Feb 2024
¿Cómo pasó Senegal de democracia estable a país en crisis?
Senegal había mantenido una situación política relativamente estable, hasta que la aparición de un líder político llamado Ousmane Sonko detonó un enorme movimiento social a su favor y una respuesta represiva por parte del gobierno. Por eso, hay centenares de presos políticos (inc ... Show More
20m 59s
Feb 2024
Senegal's democratic crisis
Senegal's president has postponed the country's upcoming elections. 
6m 42s
Feb 2024
What will it take to stop Senegal’s election protests?
Senegal’s President Macky Sall is coming under increasing pressure from West African leaders and the international community to reverse a decision to postpone the presidential election. He is accused of putting the country’s democratic path on to “a dead end”. We find out why som ... Show More
41m 30s
Aug 2023
Niger, and an era of mutiny in Africa’s Sahel region
Last month, the African nation of Niger became the seventh government in Western and Central Africa to suffer a military takeover in the last three years. And as of today, virtually every country in Africa’s Sahel region is governed by a current or former military officer. The Sa ... Show More
30m 59s
Mar 2024
Surviving 'chemical detention' in Belarus
Kate Adie introduces stories from Belarus, Senegal, the US-Mexico border, Cambodia and Brazil.Political prisoners in Belarus attract less international attention than those in Russia - but there are far more of them, even in a smaller country. Many are women, held in a kind of ho ... Show More
28m 31s
Jul 2023
Leaders of the Niger Coup Face a Deadline to Avoid Military Intervention
Two years ago, Mohamed Bazoum was elected as president in Niger's first peaceful democratic transfer of power. He enjoyed the backing of Western governments, including the United States. Then, last week, members of his own presidential guard detained him and seized power. The cou ... Show More
10m 21s
Sep 2023
France-Afrique : les raisons d'une crise. Avec Niagalé Bagayoko | Entretiens géopo
L’Afrique a connu, au cours des dix-huit derniers mois, une vague de coups d’État : au Mali, au Burkina Faso, en Guinée, au Soudan et plus récemment au Niger et au Gabon. Une vague que le président français Emmanuel Macron a qualifié « d’épidémie » à l’occasion de son discours de ... Show More
27m 8s
May 2024
The Rwanda bill effect – Politics Weekly UK
The government’s safety of Rwanda bill finally passed into law in April. But, with the announcement last week of a general election, the Conservative ‘dream’ of deportation flights taking off might never happen. So what has the bill achieved? And what does it mean for those it ha ... Show More
28m 7s
Feb 2023
Nigerians vote in crucial election
Long queues have formed at polling stations in Nigeria as voters pick a new leader in the most unpredictable election since the end of military rule. Also in the programme: Our reporter is on one of the helicopters bringing aid to Turkey's earth quake zone; and we debate who is t ... Show More
48m 54s