Senegal: Opposition party suspends leaders

By Alpha Kamara

DAKAR, Senegal

The opposition Socialist Party has suspended its leader, jailed Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall and 65 other top party figures. According to a press release issued by the party’s spokesman, the suspension was voted on during an extraordinary meeting Saturday.

“The party has expelled Mayor Khalifa Sall and 65 others with immediate effect. The party decided to take this action in line with its principles and procedures” Spokesman Abdoulaye Wilane told Seneweb a local news network.

The expulsion released included Mayor of Sicap Mermoz area Dakar, Barthélémy Diaz, Mayor of Medina locality Bamba Fall, Mayor of Podor region Aissata Tall Sall, and several other top officials.

All of the expelled members are close allies and supporters of Mayor Khalifa Sall who is standing trial for alleged corruption.

Meanwhile, one of the expelled party officials Bamba Diop has challenged the decision, saying it is the handy work of people paid by the ruling party to destabilize the opposition.

“We consider the expulsion decision as invalid and unconstitutional. We are still valuable comrades of the Socialist Party and we will continue to fight for our rights. This is the handy work of the ruling party to destabilise the opposition” Bamba Diop told local radio RFM in Dakar.

It could be recalled that the Socialist party supported president Macky Sall in the last presidential elections in 2012. But after his disagreement with jailed Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall, the party divided into two factions. One loyal to Mayor Khalifa Sall and the other loyal to Osman Tanor Dieng a close ally of the President.

In March, a party meeting was halted by angry supporters of Mayor Sall over with some party decisions against their leader.

Mayor Khalifa Sall’s immunity was removed by the national assembly in November before the resumption of his trial. His case was postponed until January 2018 and he was refused bail.