President Macky Sall of Senegal has proposed a general amnesty bill for political protesters arrested since 2021, as the country grapples with a deepening political crisis over delayed elections.

Senegal, a West African nation, is currently facing one of its most severe political crises in decades following Sall’s decision to postpone the presidential vote scheduled for February 25. 

The postponement occurred abruptly, just hours before the start of campaigning, sparking widespread unrest and dissatisfaction among citizens.

While the Constitutional Council overturned the delay, Sall, whose second term is set to end on April 2, initiated two days of talks to establish a new election date. 

In a bid to foster national unity and reconciliation, President Sall announced the proposed amnesty bill at the onset of what he termed a “national dialogue” on Monday.

“In a spirit of national reconciliation, I will put before the National Assembly this Wednesday in the council of ministers a bill for a general amnesty for acts relating to political demonstrations that took place between 2021 and 2024,” Sall stated during the dialogue.