The speech by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on RTS last night and by Colonel Abdoul Aziz Ndao on TFM the same morning suggest a particularly electric political atmosphere. Public opinion is in turmoil, and the depths of power seem agitated by tumultuous currents.
Let’s decipher Colonel Ndao’s words. Bluntly, he spoke of ongoing destabilization maneuvers, urging the intelligence services to unmask the conspirators. He would have cited the newspaper Africa Confidentielle as a Source of information on the affair of General Kandé, but this media vigorously denied it. Faced with the controversy, another media outlet had to apologize for falsely quoting this site.
Prime Minister Sonko insisted that no one can shake Senegal. According to him, those who are agitating do so because they fear the process of accountability initiated by the new regime. Regardless of the maneuvers behind the scenes, the sanctions will fall on the people identified by the various control reports.
Colonel Ndao did not mince his words. By pointing out destabilizing maneuvers, he reinforced the climate of suspicion. But Sonko was quick to hit back, displaying a relentless determination to pursue accountability. These tense exchanges reveal a fierce battle for narrative control of the political situation.
A few days ago, the Minister of Justice, Maître Ousmane Diagne, was also very clear: sanctions were going to fall, and the DAGEs of several ministries of the old regime were in the hot seat in the Covid-19 file. The message is unequivocal: justice is on the way, and no one will be spared.
These events converge on a central figure: former president Macky Sall. Its shadow hangs over sensitive matters, such as the tax amnesty for the press, a decree signed but remaining a dead letter, and the controversy surrounding the assignment of a chief of staff to India, amplified by the media supposedly from the opposition. These facts, whether proven or manipulated, politicize an already flammable context.
The petition for the repatriation of Macky Sall adds additional pressure on the new regime. If it garners broad popular support, it will be difficult not to meet the expectations of a population thirsty for justice. Macky Sall could well find himself trapped by this dynamic, accelerating a possible legal confrontation.
To top it off, the bill on homosexuality, proposed by MP Awa Ndiaye Gniby, adds fuel to the already burning fire of the political scene. This controversial element adds an additional layer of complexity to an already explosive situation. The Doro Gaye affair, of which we are only seeing the first elements of the investigation, already looks like a big powder keg ready to burst into flames.
The current episodes share an obvious common thread: the cumbersome legacy of Macky Sall. The tax amnesty for the press, the controversial assignment in India, all this has only politicized facts which should have remained technical. The press and politics mix dangerously, creating a potentially explosive cocktail.
All these events are the beginnings of stormy days to come. It will be prudent to take shelter, because the Diomaye-Sonko tandem seems determined to complete its crusade against past abuses, whatever the costs. Strengthened by the legitimacy conferred on them by the people, they will not hesitate to shake up the last bastions of the old regime. Pushing them to their limits barely eight weeks after coming to power is a risky bet.
No one can claim to know the secrets of the gods, but this head-on confrontation will only fan the embers and accelerate the mad rush of events. The forces present certainly hold more information than ordinary mortals. In this predicted storm, caution remains essential for ordinary citizens.
The Minister of the Interior, General Tine, will have a lot to do to manage this explosive situation that is coming. Let us therefore remain informed observers of these upcoming upheavals.
Oumou Wane is president of Citizen Media Group – africa7.
