Senegal President Acknowledges Election Defeat

President Abdou Diouf conceded Monday that longtime rival Abdoulaye Wade defeated him in Senegal’s weekend elections, marking a triumph for democratic change on a continent plagued by fraudulent balloting, coups and civil wars.

Thousands took to the streets in the capital, Dakar, to celebrate what was once unthinkable in Africa--a sitting president admitting an election loss.

After an uninterrupted 40-year rule by his Socialist Party, some celebrators were surprised that Diouf had willingly given up power.

Diouf telephoned Wade early Monday to acknowledge his loss in Sunday’s runoff election.

He told Wade that being president is “a difficult mission and I wish you all the luck in the world,” said Diouf’s campaign manager, Khalifa Sall.

Ruling parties that control campaign funds, and often electoral authorities, rarely lose elections in Africa. The few African countries that have had hand-overs from one elected government to another--including South Africa, Zambia, Benin and Cape Verde--have become icons of peaceful change.

Diouf’s Socialist Party had been in power since Senegal’s independence from France in 1960. Wade had warned of a popular revolt if Diouf, 64, won a fourth term.

Wade told his supporters Sunday to “remain vigilant” for serious election anomalies. But after Diouf conceded, the angry campaign cry of “Sopi!”--meaning “Change!” in the Wolof language--suddenly turned into a victory cheer.