A 23-year-old man, Modou Gueye, lost his life on Saturday after being shot during clashes amid protests against the delayed presidential election in Senegal, as revealed by two of his relatives to media.
Gueye suffered a gunshot wound to the stomach on Friday in the Colobane neighborhood of Dakar, according to his brother, Dame Gueye, 29, who was present during the incident. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning, marking the second fatality in the protests following the death of a student in Saint-Louis on Friday.
Tensions escalated after President Macky Sall postponed the presidential election, originally scheduled for February 25, to December. The delay, attributed to a dispute between parliament and the Constitutional Council over disallowed candidates, drew criticism from the United States and the European Union. Senegal’s parliament supported the decision following the forced removal of some opposition deputies by security forces.
Protests erupted across the capital on Friday, featuring clashes between security forces and demonstrators. Tear gas was deployed, leading to road closures, disruptions in rail lines, and closures of major markets. Reports on social networks indicated similar demonstrations in other towns.
The crisis has raised concerns about Senegal’s democratic stability in a region grappling with military coups.
