Revenge rather than reforms

In the program “Panel Hebdo” broadcast this weekend on Global Africa Telesud, the speakers delivered a critical analysis of the first year of governance of Pastef, pointing to the tensions at the top of the state and the absence of concrete changes for citizens.

Alfred Shango Lokoho, one of the main guests, was categorical: “The biggest problem in Pastef today is Sonko.” According to the analyst, the current Prime Minister would be locked in “a logic of revenge” and would seek to “control everything”, including President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, whom he would consider as a simple “plan B” become “plan A” by the force of the circumstances.

Experts have unanimously noted that after a year of exercise of power, few tangible changes are perceptible for the ordinary Senegalese citizen. The new regime seems to be more concerned with the denunciation of the former government than by the implementation of concrete reforms. “They fought Macky Sall to exist, they demonized him to come to power, and to govern, they accuse him of all ills,” said one of the speakers.

A disturbing institutional imbalance has also been noted. “The Prime Minister gives the impression that it was he who was elected by universal suffrage, it is he who determines the policy of the nation, it is he who appoints to all civil and military functions, when it is a prerogative of the President of the Republic,” said a participant, evoking a situation where “the President of the Republic would be a subordinate political of his Prime Minister”.

Paradoxically, while Pastef continues to criticize former President Macky Sall, the latter enjoys increasing international recognition, as evidenced by his recent appointment to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. The speakers underlined the contrast between this traditional attitude and “elegance” of the former Senegalese presidents who, like Macky Sall, generally refrain from criticizing their successors.

The program also addressed the case of Barthélémy Dias, mayor of Dakar, described as “the object of a permanent bronca” on the part of the new power, illustrating according to the stakeholders the difficulty of Pastef to “go from the posture of opponent to that of leader” and to be unifying after the conquest of power.