Senegal wrapped up an election campaign Friday marred by deadly protests against President Abdoulaye Wade’s bid for a third term in office, which have upset its peaceful reputation .One of Africa’s democratic success stories, the continent’s westernmost state is facing its most tumultuous polls since independence after weeks of riots over the 85-year-old leader’s efforts to cling to power left six dead.Wade was due to address a final rally in the seaside capital Dakar as the international community called for calm ahead of Sunday’s election.As some opposition members called for the vote to be delayed,Wade called on the youths in his party to keep a close eye over the polling to prevent the opposition from “sabotaging the election.”“Supporters, especially the youths, protect my ballots because they are yours.... stay in the polling station until counting starts to phone me and tell me of our victory,” he said during a rally on Thursday, according to the national news agency APS.As candidates held final rallies, Senegalese women were expected to march against Wade’s candidacy in a suburb of the capital.The June 23 Movement (M23) opposition grouping called for another protest in downtown Dakar, defying a ban in a now familiar pattern which has sparked near-daily clashes between police and protesters in the past week and a half.M23 warned Thursday that the election could neither be transparent, nor free, nor peaceful.A “rapidly worsening security climate... makes it impossible to hold a transparent, free and peaceful election based on respect for the constitution,” it said in a statement.The movement raised questions about the impartiality of electoral bodies, especially the constitutional council which validated Wade’s candidacy for a third term in the face of opposition protests that it was illegal.
