Democracy in Dakar, Episode 3: Election Day

Sunday, February 25, 2007 – Election Day in Senegal, West Africa. Episode 3 takes place on election day and follows the group Sen Kumpe as they head to the voting station in their neighborhood Medina in Dakar to vote.

The episode continues in the immediate aftermath of the election, as people are sensing that Abdoulaye Wade may have won a slim majority in the election and avoided a run-off election.

Sen Kumpa close this episode with their track "Niawal"

Also featured are interviews with Sen Kumpa, Serigne Ndiaye, Matador (Wa BMG 44), Waa Complex Culture, and Leopold Senghor; as well as performances by: Matador, Sen Kumpa, Baat Sen, Waa Complex Culture, and Leopold Senghor.

Democracy in Dakar, Episode 2
"Freedom of Speech"

In the second installment of this documentary series, several of the main candidates for President in Senegal are introduced against a backdrop of the campaigning on the street and the perspective of hip-hop crews from across Dakar.

The optimism that accompanies most elections is tempered with the reality of the emerging democracy in Senegal, including the suppression of criticism of the government, both through brute intimidation and more subtle means (bribery, lack of airplay, etc).

Episode 2 closes with the song "Yaa Tey" by Xuman, one of the most prominent political rappers from the group Pee Frois.

Clashes have heightened tension in the lead-up to the polls

Rival supporters have clashed in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, ahead of Sunday’s presidential elections.

Fights between supporters of President Abdoulaye Wade
and those of his former prime minister-turned-rival, Idrissa Seck, left
five people seriously hurt.

Mr Wade is facing a strong challenge after seven years in office and recent violence has heightened tension.

Senegal is seen as a rare model of democracy in Africa and it is a stable country in a troubled region.

According to eyewitnesses, a convoy of Mr Seck’s
campaign team was attacked as it passed near the home of an influential
religious leader, or marabout.

Senegal’s Muslim brotherhoods play a significant role in the country’s political arena.

Although they say they were provoked, the young
followers of one marabout, who is backing President Wade’s re-election,
threw rocks and used knives and batons against the passing convoy.

Several vehicles were wrecked in the process.

Compared to pre-election violence in other African
countries, the clashes in Senegal were on a small scale. But here such
violence is rare.

So waking up to see newspapers showing photos of the
victims with serious head injuries has come as a shock to many
Senegalese.

Wide field

There are 15 candidates in Sunday’s election. Despite
being 80 years old, President Wade is the favourite and enjoys the
benefits of incumbency.

But acquiring more than 50% of the votes will be hard because of the sheer number of candidates.

So a second round is a strong possibility and President Wade knows all too well the danger that could pose.

After several failed attempts at the presidency, he
defeated Abdou Diouf in the last election in 2000, when several
candidates teamed up with him for the second round of voting.

That was one of the extremely rare examples in Africa of a peaceful transfer of power from one leader to a rival.

With high unemployment and increased living costs, President Wade is under pressure.

His supporters point to large scale infrastructure projects.

But his detractors say not enough has been done in the
area of job creation which is seen as the only way of stemming
immigration.

As one of the major set-off points for the thousands of
Africans trying to make it illegally by sea to Europe, immigration is a
key issue in Senegal’s election campaign.