Senegal’s Sall says his mandate as president will end April 2

Senegal President Macky Sall said on Thursday that April 2 will be the end of his mandate as president of the West African nation. He added, however, that it
was unlikely the election of a new president will be completed before then.
Sall’s announcement could assuage fears he was planning to extend his rule in the country, an issue that had contributed to a tense political climate, and sometimes violent protests in a country seen as one of the stable democracies in the region.
His announcement came after the country’s Constitutional Council, the highest election authority, ruled last week that a 10-month postponement of the vote was unlawful. The election had initially been scheduled for Feb. 25.
“April 2, 2024, will be the end of my term at the head of the country, the end of my binding relationship with the Senegalese people as president of the republic. I would like this debate to be clearly settled,” Sall said during an interview on national television.
Sall said however that he cannot issue a decree to hold the election before a national dialogue takes place.