Madi Seydi is a consultant in communication and political strategy. After studying Public Law at the University of Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne), she made CELSA, the School of Higher Studies in Information and Communication Sciences, with a specialty of communication from local and regional authorities. From a professional point of view, she has held a variety of positions, such as being a cabinet minister, parliamentary assistant to the Senate, and a cabinet assistant in a local community, among others. Today, she is a consultant in Communication and Strategy. Politics has been omnipresent in his personal and professional career. Zoom on Madi Seydi, the committed woman.
How did you get into politics?
My arrival in politics? I can talk to you for hours. In reality I have always been engaged since my first playground. Committed to others, to carry the voice of my comrades. My first elections were those of class delegates. But that may not have been enough to inspire me to serve a country. My first citizen commitments date back to my 14 years, so to say that it is now many years. My political career is atypical and has been built on both continents in Africa and Europe. My parents decided to return to live in Senegal (this is the first time I go to Senegal) and I discover the joys of expatriate life, the sun, the Teranga but also the African reality to Namely the very marked social disparities, the courageous women who fight daily to support their families, the talibés begging in the streets of Dakar from 6 am, while I was lucky enough to go to the best schools Of the place and to live in all recklessness. It is from this striking observation that I decide to “do something” to help street children and that is how my first associative commitments begin. Later on, these commitments became political, always in Senegal, before returning to France Bac en poche to pursue my higher studies and to engage first in student unions and then in French politics.
You are invested by the coalition “Kaddu Askan Wi”, Patriotic Convergence, of which is this coalition and what challenges await you for the Diaspora?
I have indeed the honor of being invested by the great and beautiful coalition “Kaddu Askan Wi”, Patriotic Coalition , led by Dr. Abdoulaye Baldé, Deputy Mayor of Ziguinchor. This one as its name indicates consists of different movements especially those directed by the former ministers that are Moustapha Guirassy and Mamour Cissé (Social Democratic Party JANT BI). Since the beginning of the campaign many citizens and political movements have joined us. In reality, I am invested on the national list so if I am elected I will not have the specificity of representing the diaspora but the whole Senegalese. Nevertheless, I will put my experience and expertise at the service of the Diaspora, which I know very well to be there, but also because of my commitment to its service for so many years. I think the concerns of the diaspora are multiple and complex. It is essential that it be really represented in the National Assembly and that its specificity be taken into account in the economic and social construction of Senegal. In fact, it is a matter of bringing forward proposals of inclusive laws, in the application of which every Senegalese wherever he may be able to say “I am also”. The challenges are major, our responsibility towards the Senegalese people is great nevertheless I remain convinced that with Dr. Abdoulaye Baldé and the Patriotic Coalition Kaddu Askan Wi we will be able to carry the voice of the people and succeed together.
What is the political agenda of the coalition “Kaddu Askan Wi” Patriotic Convergence?
Our program ? First of all, I think it is important to recall what the member’s role is, because sometimes the candidates themselves have forgotten it and have been able to convey misconceptions about the role of the member. The deputy is first the representative of the people and the voice of the citizens of his electoral district. Its primary role is therefore to pass laws. Our coalition will therefore seek to present or support effective proposals for legislation directly impacting the Senegalese economy in order to open up the labor market, for example. We will also defend a real rebalancing of powers in order to “give the Senegalese the legislative power”. Besides this, of course, we have measures specific to territories such as the implementation of water sanitation programs or the diaspora as the creation of a single window dedicated to it so that it can find real Answers to his concerns or allow him to invest in Senegal with a specific accompaniment guaranteeing him conditions of transparency … The ideas and proposed laws to defend is not what is missing in view of the urgency of the situation on Senegal.
Why did you find it necessary to put yourself in a coalition to face the electoral ring?
Our project is intended to be that of all Senegalese so it was important to reach the largest number of them. We wanted this coalition to bring together people who share a common vision for Senegal, but also to bring together the greatest number of sensitivities that are representative of the expectations of our compatriots. Finally, I do not teach you anything by telling you that a union list is the pledge to gather the most forces in the same place. The Union making the force we wished to constitute this coalition in the service of the Senegalese.
“Being on the national list I will not be a member of the diaspora if I am elected but a member of the Senegalese as a member of the national constituency.”
What brings your coalition back into the Senegalese political landscape?
The Patriotic Coalition “Kaddu Askan Wi” opens the door to a new political era. We bring this freshness, this renewal, a new way of doing politics. This is a real break from the practices we propose to Senegalese! They are worn out by years of electoral promises followed by too few acts. We offer them a representative team of Senegalese society, a team that brings skills and know-how, a team guided solely by the concern to build a better Senegal together. If we do not renew our political practices with the sole aim of building a Senegal on the road to development, a strong country at the service of all its fellow citizens then we will fail and the Senegalese will squeak again ! We reject the good speeches and the promises at every meeting of citizens, we propose to them to act and to carry the texts which will allow a rapid and effective change of their daily life.
The legislative elections will take place in less than two weeks, how is your campaign going?
Look, the campaign is going pretty well. I must say that I did not wait for the opening of the official campaign to go to meet the Senegalese. For months now, regularly, I went to meet the Senegalese at home, in their shops, their places of life and exchanges. I met a number of cultural, religious and sports associations chaired by Senegalese to talk to them about my commitment and the meaning I want to give it. I also had organized by my local supporters in Senegal a number of meetings and meetings based on my local networks in order to build a real dynamic around our coalition. I can assure you that all the family associations or women’s movements to which I belong in Dakar, Pikine, Guinaw Rail, Diamaguene … or in Casamance have been sensitized. Finally, my whole village, that of my ancestors is mobilized to win our coalition. The inhabitants know our head of list Dr. Abdoulaye Baldé well since he has already met them, they know his qualities and his ambition and support him fully. I will not be able to tell you about the campaign without saying a word about the difficulties our compatriots are encountering in receiving their identity cards. Already the depot was a course of the combatant. I had been careful to be present regularly at the consulate to accompany the people in their proceedings but I was far from imagining that the worst would be to come with the receipt of the identity cards. Again, we must be present because the lack of organization and the bad management of the distribution discourage the citizens to wait for hours to hear that their cards have not been found. And I pass all the misadventures of each other, distributions outside the opening hours of the consulate and everything that appeared in the press videos to support. Hopefully the vote is secure and goes better.
What member of the Diaspora will you be when you are elected?
Being on the national list I will not be a member of the diaspora if I am elected but a member of the Senegalese as a member of the national constituency. If I am elected, I promise to be an effective MP, which begins with an effective presence in parliamentary sessions. Let us not forget that the role of Parliament is first and foremost to legislate. Therefore, it will be necessary to be there to carry the PPLs (bills of laws) to the service of the Senegalese, to participate in the debates, to the committees and consequently to prevent the adoption of the draft laws of the government which could go in the direction of the reduction of the rights of the Senegalese. Senegal has long been cited as a model for democracy and must remain so. I pledge to be the MP for all Senegalese people and not just the citizens who elected me. I am convinced that a member must be proactive and productive, so I will focus on bringing innovation, progress and texts that will create a real change in the daily life of Senegalese people. I will endeavor to participate in the development of real parliamentary friendship groups so that they lead to the development of cooperative projects for the benefit of all. Finally, I will endeavor to go regularly to the field first, to exchange and listen to the citizens and to report to them on the exercise of the mandate entrusted to me. You will understand that if I am elected I will be an impassioned, available, effective and serving member of the Senegalese people.
