Karim Wade, the Senegalese opponent, has taken an important step towards the 2024 presidential election by posting the necessary deposit to run, despite persistent doubts about his candidacy, AFP learned from his party.
Aged 55, Karim Wade, son and former minister of former president Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012), deposited the deposit of 30 million FCFA (45,000 euros) with the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC), declared Nafissatou Diallo, communications manager for the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), to AFP.
The PDS has designated Karim Wade as its candidate for the February 25 presidential election, a designation it has accepted for a long time.
However, questions remain about the legal implications of Mr Wade’s previous conviction, his ability to re-enter the country and obtain clearance from tax authorities essential for his candidacy.
Karim Wade was sentenced in 2015 to six years in prison for illicit enrichment. Detained for more than three years, he was pardoned in 2016 by President Macky Sall and has since lived in exile. Qatar is often cited as one of his places of residence.
His conviction prevented him from being a candidate in the 2019 presidential election, won by Macky Sall.
The National Assembly voted in August for a law making Karim Wade and another opponent, the former mayor of Dakar Khalifa Sall, eligible for election, following a political dialogue initiated by President Sall and boycotted by part of the ‘opposition.
Khalifa Sall, who is not related to the president, was convicted in 2018 of forgery and use of forgery, and sentenced to five years in prison. Imprisoned in 2017, he regained his freedom in 2019 after also benefiting from a presidential pardon.
More than 200 candidates declared themselves for the presidential election.
In this article, we examined the filing made by Karim Wade in preparation for the 2024 presidential election in Senegal. Despite lingering doubts about his candidacy due to his previous conviction for illicit enrichment, Mr. Wade took this important step by posting the required bond. However, questions remain about his legality and his ability to obtain the tax clearance necessary for his candidacy. It is worth noting that the two main opponents, Karim Wade and Khalifa Sall, were both convicted and pardoned by the sitting president, which sparked criticism from the opposition and raised concerns about the fairness of the electoral process. With more than 200 candidates declared, it is clear that this election will be highly competitive and closely monitored by the international community. It remains to be seen what the final impact of Karim Wade’s candidacy will be on the Senegalese political scene.