By Alieu Ceesay
Thousands of Senegalese residents in the Gambia, including former UNDP country resident representative Aissatou De and current UNFPA country representative Rose Sarr, both Senegalese nationals, exercised their democratic right to vote by casting their ballots at a local polling stations in Banjul early Sunday morning.
This year’s Senegalese presidential election marks a unique chapter in the political history of Senegal, as the incumbent Macky Sall, whose delay in the polls caused intense political tension, is not contesting.
Sall has single-handedly chosen and endorsed his former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, who faces 18 other contestants in the election to lead his party, “BENO BOKK YAKARR.”
Speaking to TAT in an interview after casting his vote, Mamadou Cham, one of the electorates, expressed his desire to back a candidate who prioritizes Senegalese interests. He emphasized the importance of electing a candidate and demonstrated a clear commitment to youth empowerment.
“I want a fully independent Senegal, without relying on the West for almost everything. I want a President who will empower the youth,” he emphasized.
This year’s Senegalese Presidential election garnered significant attention worldwide, particularly in the sub-region after the election was postponed by Macky Sall, who cited the need for ample time to investigate alleged corruption in the electoral process.
Senegalese National residing in the Gambia, Yassin Jeng, expressed hope for opposition candidate Diomaye Faye’s victory after casting her vote.
“I am sure we will not go for a second round, and we will win with big margins,” she remarked confidently.
According to Essa Colley, an election supervisor, over 14,000 Senegalese are expected to vote across various polling stations in the Gambia.
Another voter, Sering Mbakeh, expressed disappointment with the overall turnout of voters in Gambia and called on Senegalese residents to come out and exercise their civic duty.
“My message is obvious: let them (Senegalese) come and vote. We have all heard the campaign themes of all political parties, so we know who to vote for,” he urged.
Over seven million Senegalese are registered and expected to vote in this general election.
Ajie Mbye, a voter, emphasized the importance of peaceful voting while urging everyone to wait for the final and official results.
“I want everyone to vote peacefully and wait for the final results. In Senegal, we are all one,” Ajie Mbye told TAT.
