Senegal Votes in Contentious Election
Senegal went to the polls Sunday in a contentious election in which President Abdoulaye Wade is seeking a third term, testing its credentials as one of Africa's most stable countries.
Hundreds of people lined up in polling stations around the west African nation as voting began at 0800 GMT in the poll pitting the 85-year-old incumbent against 13 opposition candidates in a wide-open race.
"I came to vote early because I want to vote quickly and go home, I hope there is no trouble," said Abdou Gueye, 20, a shopkeeper waiting in the sandy courtyard of a school in the suburb of Derkle.
Some 5.3 million voters have registered to vote in the election which has been marred by weeks of deadly protests over Wade's candidacy which left six people dead, prompting international calls for calm.
In a polling station in downtown Dakar around 100 people queued quietly at a school, its walls brightly painted with cartoon characters, as observers and police looked on.
Cheikh Angai said he had voted for Macky Sall, one of three former prime ministers in the race, who is running for the first time and is seen as a main contender.
"He will win, no problem. He is a dignified and serious man. Wade is too old, he has done a good job but now he must leave," said the young man.
Amadou Ndiaye, 62, said he was voting for Idrissa Seck, Wade's former protege and prime minister before a bitter falling out.
"The president will try to steal the election, but still, one must vote. The old man must leave, there are younger people there. Amongst them, Idy comes across the best, I hope he will change things."
Despite having served two terms in office, a limit he himself introduced, Wade says 2008 constitutional changes extending term lengths to seven years allow him to serve two more mandates.
The second oldest African leader after Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, 88, Wade says he needs more time in office to finish his "grand projects.”
But his perceived efforts to line up his son Karim Wade to succeed him have infuriated the opposition.
Wade was first elected in 2000 to great euphoria as he unseated the Socialist Party after 25 years in the opposition and four failed attempts.
He has grown increasingly unpopular amid social anger over rising food prices and crippling power cuts while he is accused of focusing on prestigious infrastructural projects.
Some remain staunch supporters and praise him for overseeing a development boom.
"Wade will be elected in the first round, I am sure and I wish for it," said a man in his fifties dressed in flowing blue robes.
"The protests against his candidacy are just political manipulations."
Analysts say Wade needs to win in the first round while the opposition field is divided as he would fare less well in a two-horse race.
The validation of Wade's candidacy by the country's highest court led to a month of often deadly riots waged by the June 23 Movement (M23), an alliance of opposition parties, rappers and activists.
The octogenarian dismissed the opposition protests as "temper tantrums" and heaped derision on calls from France and the United States that he retire.