Stories from Dakar · Senegal

The Sof Rider Foundation Senegal conducted 477 analyses across 80 sampling campaigns to evaluate sanitary risks for swimming. A report by a citizen network revealed varying levels of fecal contamination across several water sites in Senegal.

The appeal trial for Murad Zeridi has been postponed to May 12 in Dakar. He was originally arrested on May 11, 2024, and had previously received an eight-month sentence for spreading false news in political columns.

A new electoral law in Senegal aims to remove opinion-based offenses from the list of convictions that can render a person ineligible for office. Proponents say the law prevents political abuse, but critics cite a lack of consultation and concerns over retroactivity.

The Senegalese National Assembly adopted a resolution on Tuesday clearing Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to run in the 2029 presidential election. The move follows legislative action to facilitate his potential candidacy.

The change involves the introduction of retroactivity regarding certain sentence executions.

Emmanuel Macron acknowledged in 2024 that a massacre occurred in 1993. The event reportedly resulted in between 200 and 300 soldiers being killed.

The Supreme Court of Senegal has granted provisional liberty to Mayor and Deputy Farba Hongom. Hongom, an associate of former President Macky Sall, had been in pretrial detention since February 2025. He faces charges including incitement and fraud.

Senegalese justice authorities have ordered the release of Farba Ngom, a deputy close to former President Macky Sall.

Coalition leaders criticized a proposed electoral law introduced by the Pastef party, citing a lack of consultation with the opposition and rushed procedures. The coalition argues the reform focuses too narrowly on the eligibility of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Members of the coalition stated that while the principle of preventing judicial interference in candidate eligibility was previously accepted, the current method is flawed. The coalition is now supporting an alternative modification to the electoral code released by the executive branch. This alternative text excludes the principle of retroactivity found in article 2 of the Pastef bill. A public law professor suggested that the principle of retroactivity could be censored if the Constitutional Council is seized. The report was filed by Pauline Neutroquiez in Dakar.

Energy shortages are causing disruptions in the metropolis of Dakar, which has a population of 10 million. A textile manufacturer reported traffic congestion caused by the shortage. Long queues have formed at gas stations, with lines extending at least half a kilometer. To conserve electricity, local businesses and government authorities have begun closing earlier.