Karim Wade's electoral horizon in Senegal darkens

The return of Karim Wade to Senegal as his candidacy for the presidency, expected in February 2019, seem more than ever compromised. Monday, July 2, the son of the former head of state Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012) saw his application for registration on the electoral rolls rejected by the General Directorate of Elections. The authority justifies its decision by the application of an article of the Electoral Code arguing that an individual sentenced to a prison term of five years or more can not become a voter. Which would eliminate de facto Karim Wade, sentenced in 2015 to six years in prison and more than 210 million euros in fines by the Court of repression of illicit enrichment (CREI).

Read also:
        
    
                Senegal: revision of the electoral code voted in a climate of strong contestation
    

At the headquarters of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), which called a press conference on Tuesday to defend its candidate, the time has come to denounce a decision that everyone considers as unarmed by the presidency. Based on a ruling by CREI, party officials claim that Karim Wade still enjoys all his civil rights.

Unchanging

"He was appointed by a congress and is the only legitimate candidate of the PDS . We have no other plan " proclaims Madické Niang, current number two of the party. "If Karim Wade is not a candidate, Macky Sall will not be. They declared war on us, they will have it! outbid M ^e Amadou Sall, one of Karim Wade's lawyers. But on his plan of action, the party, which called for protest on July 13, remains vague. He clings to the possibility of filing an appeal within fifteen days. "We will use all that is possible so that the election is not held without our candidate" launches Doudou Wade, one of the leaders of the PDS.

Seven months of the presidential election , virtually without a candidate, the party is now in a dilemma: persevere with the candidacy of the son leaves to not participate in the presidential election, or preserve his chances by changing candidate at the risk of getting back "Gorgui", " the old man, "nickname Abdoulaye Wade. In this atmosphere, the discretion of Karim Wade does not help. The latter has shown little loquacity since the presidential pardon that allowed him to recover his freedom at half his sentence and fly to Qatar on June 24, 2016. The opponent broke this silence for the first time. time, on January 11, 2018, on the death of the Caliph of the Mourides, to affirm that he was prevented from going to the bedside of this dignitary of a very powerful religious brotherhood because "expelled" unjustly from his country and led to a "forced exile" in the Arabian Peninsula.

See also:
        
    
                Karim Wade case: the secret report that agitates Senegal
    

The former "minister of heaven and earth", as the Senegalese ironically nicknamed him when, under his father, he held the post of Minister of Infrastructure, Air Transport, International Cooperation and Development of territory, resumed the speech abruptly on June 16 in his message of Korité, on the occasion of the end of Ramadan. A three-page long text that looks like an electoral pamphlet in which he attacks the president, bouncing on the news, such as the late payment of student grants that led to the death of the young Fallou Sène or a possible food crisis in the north

An Arlésienne

"Macky Sall erected lies, manipulation and conspiracy in the mode of governance", he denounces then, inviting his supporters to stand "ready to [l] 'to welcome very soon' . Ambition that he had already materialized two months earlier by registering on April 16 on the electoral lists from the embassy in Senegal in Kuwait. She was dismissed on Monday. Announced regularly by the executives of the PDS, the return of Karim Wade is an Arlésienne who stumbles on her judicial duties. For if he was pardoned by President Sall, he has not been pardoned and must still pay the State of Senegal the 210 million euros he was sentenced to pay him.

Read also:
        
    
                Wade case: French justice dismisses State of Senegal
    

The CREI, which ordered the seizure of all the property of Karim Wade, came up against the French justice for the two apartments located in the 16 ^e arrondissement of Paris and the bank account that he holds in France. On 26 September 2016 the Paris High Court refused the request of the Senegalese State and the Court of Appeal upheld this judgment on 14 March 2018.

But that does not change the case of Karim Wade in Senegal: On May 25, a bailiff appeared at the Dakar home of Abdoulaye Wade, who is also the last known of his son, to file an appeal from the prosecutor of CREI. This command to pay the colossal fine is a clear reminder. If the presidential candidate of the PDS returns to the Senegalese territory without having paid this debt, he will go straight to prison.