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FELWINE SARR: “This too many mandate tempts you”

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The very fact of maintaining chiaroscuro is an admission. Authoritarian drift begins when the prince can make the linguistic sign say what he wants. The Senegal skiff looks like a boat that has lost its course.

The President of the Republic in December 2019, when asked whether he would run for a third term or not, replied with a neither yes nor a no. In his address to the nation on December 31, 2022, he did not raise the issue. However, all the actions he has taken since then indicate that he is preparing to go (Lu Defu Waxu). Let us not impugn his motives, some would say, for the time being he said nothing definitive. To a question whose only possible answer is no, since the Constitution is clear on this point; the very fact of maintaining the chiaroscuro is an admission, at least of a temptation or evaluation of the chances of success of such an undertaking. By this single attitude of maintaining the vagueness on an issue that involves the destiny of the whole community, the contract with the nation, which was signed in 2012 when it was sworn in, and renewed in 2016 after the referendum on the Constitution, has already been severed.

This non-response has the effect of taking the Senegalese people hostage and keeping them in the waiting, while their supporters occupy the media space and, as in 2012, try to make us understand that words no longer have the meaning that is theirs. Authoritarian drift begins when the prince can make the linguistic sign say what he wants. When “No person may exercise more than two consecutive terms”, no longer means, “No person may exercise more than two consecutive terms”. And it is to this interference of meaning that the presidential camp is engaged. Because here no matter the length of the mandate, it is the consecration of the latter that is limited to two. That was the purpose of our fight in 2012 against Wade’s third term. To establish a rhythm of alternation inscribed in the marble of the Constitution that ensures a democratic breathing, a renewal of the governing elites, the alternation of the projects of societies and the peaceful transmission of power.

What a setback, if we were in the same situation in 2024 as in 2012! All this for that! Unfortunately, Wade had already experienced the process. Appointing judges who are committed to his cause to the Constitutional Council, dropping his propagandists in the media and his jurists who try by a juridical sophistication (with this idea that constitutional law is complex and esoteric), to make acceptable a reading of Article 27 of the Constitution that is semantically, ethically, politically, legally, and thus trample on the ground the fundamental text that binds us and sets the rules that govern our living together. Only one individual, he was President of the Republic, cannot confiscate a power entrusted to him by the Senegalese people in terms that were a refusal of a monarchical devolution of power, a third mandate and a desire for social justice and accountability. The ultimate consequence of such an act is to desecrate the Constitution in the collective unconscious. Any community to make a whole whole, is based on rules that it puts above itself, above partisan ambitions and private interests in order to guarantee the pursuit of the general interest. The Constitution reflects the rules that form the basis of our political community and ultimately the people are the supreme constituent. To say to the latter «dear people you have not understood what you want, we the masters of constitutional science have understood better than you that no one can, does not mean in this specific case, no one can»In addition to ignoring the collective intelligence of Senegalese regarding the meaning of their political history, it is a holdup of our collective will. What the people want (at least on this issue), they clearly expressed in 2012 in the streets and in the ballot boxes.

Mr. President of the Republic,
The Senegal skiff looks like a boat that has lost its course and is wandering in the fog. A derelict ship sailing in troubled waters and preparing to face future storms. It is a ship that has lost some of its superb, whose captain seems to no longer see the clouds piling up, inhabited by the dream (which we legitimately lend you) of seeking a third mandate and no matter if this attempt plunges us into instability. No matter the 10 deaths that this fight for democratic breathing and alternation of power cost us in 2012; no matter if you yourself repeated several times urbi and orbi, that you had locked the Constitution; that the mandate the Senegalese gave you in 2019 was your second and final mandate. It does not matter that the Sahel region is unstable and that the island that Senegal constitutes cannot afford the luxury of opening the pandora’s box. There are many reasons to avoid that this desire to seek the mandate too much, does not embark us collectively in a most risky adventure.

Recently, we have witnessed a systematic unravelling of our societal and democratic achievements. Dikes yielding one after the other. Inexorable rise of the waters. François Mancabou died in the premises of the national police. Two gendarmes, Sergeant Fulbert Sambou and Chief Warrant Officer Didier Badji, who disappear under turbulent circumstances, including the first found dead, visibly drowned, and the second of whom we have no news. Cartoonists (Papito Kara) hijacking newspapers on the internet, imprisoned, some for liking posts with smileys. Pape Alé Niang, a journalist imprisoned for doing his work (informing) and being the subject of judicial harassment. A big mute that no longer is and that lets leak sensitive files, so that no one ignores them. Young people who are questioned during demonstrations and asked for their surnames; and when they are Casamançaise-sounding, they are arrested and taken into the salad basket, to the custody. An APR activist who calls for the defense of the third term with machetes, a deputy who promises to march on our corpses for the re-election of his champion in 2024. Citizens who are intimidated for the crime of opinion and who are put through the prison cell, each in turn, as if for a spin. After the March 2021 riots, 14 people died, some killed at close range (one of the scenes was filmed); no open investigation, no trial, no liability located to date. A pain of families compensated with bundles of CFA, which they accept for lack of better entrusting themselves to God and to the fatality of destiny. A deterioration of political mores rarely seen in this country. A National Assembly became a fair and an arena of rags. They insult each other wildly, they strike a woman member of Parliament, and even worse, they find a way to justify the unjustifiable, and therefore the despicable patriarchy that is gangrene in our society. Deputies, with the exception of a few, who do not live up to the demands of the republican debate entrusted to them by a people, who by voting in the last parliamentary elections as he did, wished to balance speech and power in the National Assembly and see its fundamental concerns calmly relayed and debated. Instead, we are witnessing in this place and in the public space a general degradation of speech that has become violent and abusive.

We witness in disbelief the erosion of what has made our country a nation that has been able to avoid ethnic-religious conflicts, military coups, civil wars in a post-colonial Africa struggling with multiple upheavals. This solid social fabric, despite its vulnerabilities, is the result of a slow collective construction, made of social consensus, political struggles, citizen and trade union struggles, democratic advances conquered of high struggle, interreligious and inter-ethnic cohabitation preserved by a cultural and social engineering, shared values; but also by the slow and patient construction of social and political institutions playing their role. It is one of these institutions – the cornerstone, the Constitution, of which you are the guardian and guarantor.

Mr. President of the Republic,
Your predecessors have each in their own way, despite the limitations of their mandates (and Wade’s abortive force), helped to strengthen Senegalese democracy by contributing their contribution to the difficult edifice. Yours, at this moment in our political history, is to take an act that will irreversibly make our nation a major democracy, which has definitively resolved the question of the peaceful transmission of power, and that of an alternation inscribed in its texts and especially in its practices and traditions. So that finally the elections become moments of debate on the destiny of the nation and more those of clouds big of risks, hovering over our heads.

When there will be demonstrations and unrest against a third mandate – and it is to be expected that there will be if you show up – because there is no reason for the Senegalese people to accept in 2024 what they had refused in 2012 (Remember that it was this refusal of the third term that Wade wanted that brought you to power in 2012); and that human lives will be lost, because you have overarmed the police and the gendarmerie. You will bear the responsibility. We expect you to announce that after being elected twice to the head of Senegal; that you will not run for office a third time in the presidential election; and that in doing so, you will respect your oath, that you restore to the Senegalese the honour they have bestowed upon you by entrusting to you their destiny for two terms, and that you consolidate and preserve our democracy.

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POLITICS

SENEGAL – Stefane Kabou, artist to political leader of the Movement Sovereign Senegal (MSS)

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In Senegal, the line between culture and politics is often very thin, and Stefane Kabou understood it perfectly. He perfectly embodies this symbiosis. Born in Dakar, he first made his weapons as a cultural actor. But, for some years now, he seems to have understood that the true strength of the African states must lie in his actions, by the way sovereignists, to get out of western oppression by giving the possibility to the Africans to take charge, without a western babysitting. Africa, an aggregate of disunited peoples, must become a living reality, this is in a few words the ambition of this movement.

Stefane Kabou on the political scene
Like a river following its normal course, Stefane Kabou came naturally to politics. For many years, it has multiplied actions in favor of the most disadvantaged and fought against incivism through extensive awareness campaigns, Not without being despised by some of his compatriots and ridiculed by more than one. In a concern for social justice and exasperated to see that Africa in general, and particularly Senegal can not take charge, he launched into politics. He wants to become an essential figure in the Senegalese political landscape, thanks to his movement, the “Mouvement Sénégal Souverain” in short (MSS).

Stefane Kabou, Leader Mouvement Sénégal Souverain (MSS))

Why the MSS?
At the beginning, the name of the “Mouvement Sénégal Souverain” was “NATANGUÉ”, which means in Wolof hope. The leader, Stefane Kabou, had as his goal, as it can be read on his Facebook page, to create: “a movement based on solidarity and mutual assistance” that proposes that “solidarity, dialogue, peace are at the center of the debates.” But this name has evolved into a more global form to become the MSS, a political and social movement that advocates for genuine social justice and national independence in African countries, particularly Senegal. Let us point out that this movement does not deny the reasons why it was created. Stefane Kabou, seeing the desolation of the most disadvantaged strata, the almost militant contempt of successive governments at the head of the Senegalese state, decided to launch into politics in order to act directly on the causes of the problems that are undermining the country.

Stefane Kabou, a freedom-loving sovereignist
By founding the “Mouvement Sénégal Souverain”, Stefane Kabou has given new life to his struggle and a certain dynamic to Senegalese politics. The MSS does not merely denounce the dysfunctions of political regimes, it proposes an alternative vision for the country. The Movement advocates total economic and political sovereignty of the country, highlighting the need to diversify the Senegalese economy and establish transparent governance. His words are clear: “Senegal must free itself from all external interference in order to finally control its own destiny.” What could be more normal?

Stefane Kabou, Leader Mouvement Sénégal Souverain (MSS))

The MSS, against injustice and for transparency
Stefane Kabou stands out in his actions, both on social networks and on the streets of Senegal, for his commitment against impunity, against poverty, against incivism. He does not take lightly to openly denounce what he perceives as abuse of power, while calling in a spirit of peace the parties to the negotiations, as was the case during the last elections in Senegal. This peace-loving man has always called for an end to the violence and injustice suffered by many Senegalese. For him, the struggle for national sovereignty also involves the restoration of justice and the rule of law.

Stefane Kabou, a visionary leader
The career of Stefane Kabou, from his beginnings in Kaolack to his rise on the national political scene, testifies to his determination to influence the future, the course of politics in Senegal. Through the MSS, this emblematic leader positions himself as a key player of the new generation of Senegalese leaders, ready to redefine the rules of the political game for a fairer and more sovereign future. Stefane Kabou is a visionary, a man whose commitment could well shape the future of Senegal. Under the impetus of the “Mouvement Sénégal Souverain”, Stefane Kabou is on his way to becoming an indispensable force in public debate, embodying the hope for a political renewal for many Senegalese.

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POLITICS

SENEGAL – Moustapha Thiam: a visionary leader serving Afric

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Moustapha Thiam is a man of many talents, entrepreneur, speaker, coach and author. He holds an MBA in human resources management from ESG Paris and is the CEO of Exigences IT, a recruitment firm specializing in the transfer of skills between France and Africa. He is also co-founder of ExiProd, an audiovisual production company based in Paris that values African entrepreneurs and talents.

A commitment to the elevation of humanity
Convinced of the importance of human elevation, Moustapha Thiam is a leader focused on the social impact and development of African youth. His leadership career began in 2007 when he was elected president of the Fosco at the Sokone high school, and then president of the student board at the Institut Supérieur de Management in 2011 in Senegal.

Its commitment to the Senegalese diaspora is reflected in several initiatives. He directed the association of Senegalese students in Rouen and the Collectif des associations africaines de Normandie in 2013. Since 2016, he has been the founding president of the Solidarity Movement for the Development of Africa (MSDA), which brings together 25 African countries and 7 diaspora, supporting young Africans in their professional integration, both in Africa and in Europe.

An inspiring coach and mentor
Moustapha Thiam believes in youth and their potential to build a better future. As a personal development coach, he leads workshops and works in schools and universities in France and Africa. He is the first young African to represent African youth in the National Assembly in France on employment and entrepreneurship issues.

For him, education is essential to self-realization. He founded Exigence School, a software package to digitize the education system in Africa. With slogans such as “learn, understand, act”, he encourages young people to become agents of change.

Moustapha Thiam

An inspiring journey
His book, Adversity is my ally, recounts his inspiring journey and reflects his conviction that we must fight to exist. His vision of success is based on the ability to positively impact the lives of others. Driven by an unconditional love for Africa and Senegal, Moustapha Thiam attaches great importance to accompanying young people in their development.

Its motto, “Vive la Teranga,” embodies the values of peace, prosperity, justice and unity. The words that define him are humility, humanism, kindness, empathy and unity. Her credo, “Living together, doing together, accepting and loving each other to accept and love others,” exemplifies her inclusive and caring approach.

A promising future
Moustapha Thiam is also a candidate for the parliamentary elections to represent the diaspora, as head of the list of the coalition Gox Yu Bess. Its political commitment is part of the defence of the interests of the diaspora and the promotion of initiatives for the development of Africa.

Through his various initiatives, Moustapha Thiam continues to distinguish himself as a visionary leader, determined to build a better future for African youth.

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POLITICS

SENEGAL – Harassment, food tampering, communication ban: the Diomaye Coalition President alert on the conditions of detention of his candidate

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Bassirou Diomay Faye

The Diomaye Coalition President warns about the conditions of detention of candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The members of the said coalition inform that his visiting days have been changed and he can only receive visits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays within the Court. He is also prohibited from telephone communications. The Diomaye Président coalition denounces this relentlessness against its candidate and holds the regime responsible for any attack on the physical or moral integrity of their candidate.

“Following the official launch of the Diomaye President Coalition and the massive adhesions of opposition leaders, it was expected that the government in power would reinstate the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye in his rights, particularly in the context of a presidential election of which he is undoubtedly the favourite,” reads a statement.

However, the Coalition announces that the Prison Administration, under the responsibility of the Minister of Justice, has decided to unilaterally and without justification tighten the conditions of detention of candidate Bassirou Diomaye FAYE by:

“A unilateral modification of his visiting days now, the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye can only receive visits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and this within the Court itself. A ban on telephone communications under the pretext that the favorite candidate in the presidential election whose campaign begins in two days has conversations whose purpose is political. A continuous harassment of the room of the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye is now searched at every turn.”

Moreover, she notes a «lack of security measures despite her status as a candidate in the presidential election of February 25, 2024 and multiple alerts on probable alterations of the food served to her. Candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye no longer has breakfast.”
The Diomaye President coalition denounces this relentlessness against its candidate. “We strongly denounce this umpteenth violation of the principle of equality between candidates in the presidential election of February 25, 2024. We call for the immediate release of Bassirou Diomaye Faye to actively participate in the election campaign.”

In any case, she stresses, «the State of Senegal has the responsibility to ensure its protection if it unjustly decides to maintain it in the bonds of detention».

In short, the Diomaye Coalition President indicates that «Macky Sall, Aissata Tall Sall and Amadou Ba will be held responsible for any attack on the physical or moral integrity of the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye».

Source : PressAfrik

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