Internet Desk: The Senegal government on Sunday suspended all the sports and cultural related events until the elections at the end of July. The decision came after the death of eight people who died in a football stadium disaster.
The Legislative elections will happen on July 30 and the situation have gone out of control after the opposition leader and Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall decided to compete from jail.
“All sporting and cultural activities are banned across the national territory for the rest of the electoral campaign,” Seydou Gueye, a spokesman for the prime minister, said.
A judicial inquiry will be opened to investigate the tragedy and determine who was responsible for Saturday’s tragedy, he said.
A wall collapsed in a Dakar stadium during an end of the League Cup final between Stade de Mbour and US Ouakam which was marred by clashes between rival fans. Sixty people were injured, Sports Minister Matar Ba told the media.
Campaigning for the elections by the ruling coalition of President Macky Sall was also suspended Sunday out of respect for the victims.
On Friday rival supporters of President Sall and Mayor Sall, who are not related, clashed armed with knives in northern Dakar and several people were injured.