The government of Senegal has declared that the country's presidential election will occur on 24 March. This decision comes after heightened tension in the nation following President Macky Sall's postponement of the election last month, which triggered widespread protests.

President Sall, whose term concludes on 2 April, had maintained that he had no intention of seeking a third term in office. However, his adversaries accused him of orchestrating a constitutional coup.

Senegal has long been regarded as one of Africa's most stable democracies and is the sole mainland West African nation never to have experienced a military coup.

In a statement, the Council of Ministers conveyed, "The President of the Republic informed the Council of Ministers that the date of the presidential election had been set for Sunday, 24 March."

Prior to this announcement on Wednesday, authorities had tried to delay the original 25 February poll until December, leading to deadly unrest in the streets.

But the Constitutional Council later ruled that the presidential election must take place before 2 April.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, Mr Sall dissolved the government and replaced Prime Minister Amadou Ba with Interior Minister Sidiki Kaba.

This was so that Mr Ba, the ruling coalition's presidential candidate, could focus on his electoral campaign, the presidency said.

President Sall has served two terms as Senegal's leader and when he was first elected in 2012 he promised he would not overstay.

Noted