Senegal: President plans amnesty bill to end tensions

Senegal’s President Macky Sall has proposed amnesty for people convicted in connection with political protests over the past three years.

He said this would allow him to “calm the political scene and further strengthen national unity.

“He spoke at a meeting that was boycotted by most opposition parties and civil society groups.

The embattled president has been widely criticized for postponing elections scheduled for Sunday without setting a new date.

The Constitutional Court has decided that the vote should be held as soon as possible.

The amnesty bill, which Mr Sall said he would submit to parliament on Wednesday, has already been criticized by opponents.

Their aim is to ensure that members of the security forces and President Sall himself are not prosecuted for the deaths of protesters.