The “Taxawu Senegal” political movement, led by Khalifa Sall, is going through a period of uncertainty. Once an emblematic figure in the Senegalese political landscape, Mr. Sall is facing an erosion of his influence, while his lieutenant, Barthélémy Dias, is suffering setbacks. The future of “Taxawu Senegal” therefore seems uncertain. Political analysts explain the reasons for this decline and the challenges that await this movement to recover.
Candidate in the last presidential election in March 2024, under the banner of “Taxawu Senegal”, Khalifa Sall, former mayor of the city of Dakar, obtained a score of 1.56%. Also former Secretary General for Political Life of the Socialist Party (PS), he was mishandled by his adversaries, notably Bassirou Diomaye Faye (54.28%) and Amadou Ba (35.79%). This electoral debacle illustrates the loss of its aura. Once an influential figure in Senegalese politics, Khalifa Sall now seems to be losing momentum. Since this election, he has been less and less visible on the ground.
Many thought that he could pass the baton to his main lieutenant, namely Barthélémy Dias. However, the latter, propelled to the head of Dakar town hall in 2022 by the “Yewwi Askan Wi” (Yaw) coalition, is also in political decline. The “Samm Sa Kaddu” coalition, which he led during the legislative elections of November 17, 2024, was only able to obtain three seats in the National Assembly. Just after the installation of the deputies of the 15th legislature, fate fell upon Mr. Dias, who was removed from his mandate as a parliamentarian due to his final sentence to two years in prison, including six months in prison, in December 2023, in the Ndiaga Diouf case. This, following a referral to the office of the National Assembly by the Minister of Justice, Ousmane Diagne. Thus, unlike previous legislatures, “Taxawu Senegal” has no deputies in the National Assembly; Barthélémy Dias being replaced by Pape Djibril Fall.
The other deputies elected from “Samm Sa Kaddu” are Anta Babacar Ngom, from the Alternation for the New Citizens (Arc), and Cheikh Tidiane Youm, from the Party for Unity and Rally (Pur). It was only the beginning of the political downfall of the former mayor of Mermoz-Sacré-Cœur. A few days later, Barthélémy Dias will, in fact, be dismissed from his functions as mayor of Dakar. A revocation confirmed by the Dakar Court of Appeal. While waiting to know the outcome of the appeal he filed with the Supreme Court, a central question arises about “Taxawu Senegal”: will this political movement be able to recover and reposition itself in the political landscape? Dr Alassane Ndao, lecturer at the Gaston Berger University (Ugb) of Saint-Louis, underlines that the uncertainty over the political future of “Taxawu Senegal” is classic given the configuration of the political apparatuses in Senegal as well as than the political system. According to him, in Senegal, parties are not institutionalized and “Taxawu Senegal” is no exception to this rule.
“It’s a political movement that has never been able to evolve. It only served the personal ambitions of Khalifa Sall who, after his departure from the Socialist Party, wanted to assert himself as an essential political leader. “Taxawu Senegal” is a prisoner of the political leadership of Khalifa Sall and Barthélémy Dias,” explains the political analyst.
A movement that lacks national anchoring
-According to him, this movement has failed to assert itself at the national level. He remained attached to his original electoral base, the department of Dakar, without succeeding in establishing himself in the suburbs or other regions of the country. In the opinion of our interlocutor, the latest elections, both presidential and legislative, show that “Taxawu Senegal” suffers from a deficit of national representation, but above all from a lack of visibility. “When existing leaders encounter difficulties, it is difficult to find other people ready to take over,” he notes.
Continuing his analysis, Dr Ndao notes another aggravating factor which contributes to the uncertainty of the future of “Taxawu Senegal”: the political choice of Khalifa Sall to have made a compromise with Macky Sall in the context of the latter’s conflict. with Ousmane Sonko. “At that time, the Senegalese political landscape was beginning to become bipolarized. Khalifa Sall chose, after having worked for quite a long time with Sonko, to make a compromise with Macky Sall to be able to participate in the presidential election of March 2024. This generated an extremely negative social perception among the Senegalese who considered that “Taxawu Senegal” had betrayed.
Khalifa Sall has not managed to overcome this resentment; This explains his disappointing results in the presidential election,” he explains. This analysis is corroborated by Abdoulaye Mbow, journalist and political analyst. He claims that the “Taxawu Senegal” movement is “in a political decline” since its separation from the “Yewwi Askan Wi” coalition. For him, the future looks dark for “Taxawu Senegal”. Mr. Mbow underlines that “the presence of Khalifa Sall on the political field is felt less and less. During the last legislative elections, we did not see his involvement or that of his main lieutenants. There is deep frustration within this political group.
It is important to note the resignation of 25 executives before the presidential election. This demonstrates a fragmentation within “Taxawu Senegal”, creating conditions of weakness and a weak presence on the political field”. According to Dr Alassane Ndao, it will be very difficult for “Taxawu Senegal” to recover, especially since he carries defects that come at a high price. “I do not see a sudden rebirth for this movement in the current context where the Pastef party is hyper dominant, embodying extremely popular leadership in the person of Sonko. “Taxawu Senegal” is not prepared for this,” he said. Mr. Ndao added that if this movement wishes to continue to exist, it must first correct its faults by transforming itself into an institutionalized political party. “If they don’t succeed, they risk disappearing,” he warns. Abdoulaye Mbow adds: “Taxawu Senegal will need a well-considered alternative to create the conditions for a renaissance on the political level.”
Aliou DIOUF
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