The start of the campaign for the legislative elections in Senegal was given on July 10, the day after Tabaski Day. [nom donné en Afrique de l’Ouest à l’Aïd El-Adha, qui est la plus importante des fêtes musulmanes].
Appetizing pieces of mutton [à cette occasion, un mouton est sacrifié en souvenir de la foi d’Ibrahim, ou Abraham] have therefore not had time to be completely digested by the Senegalese men and women, that the latter are invited to take part in the campaign for the legislative elections of July 31st.
Candidates have three weeks to convince voters to vote for them. 165 parliamentary seats are at stake. This election, the last before the presidential election of [février] 2024, will see the participation of eight political lists, including those of the main opposition coalitions.
The Senegalese, legitimately, can therefore breathe a sigh of relief. Because the non-validation, by the Constitutional Council, of the list of holders of the opposition agreement Yewwi Askan Wi [“Libérons le peuple”, en wolof]driven by Ousmane Sonko [député à l’Assemblée nationale et maire de la ville de Ziguinchor], had given rise to fears that the ballot would not be held. After pounding the pavement and organizing pot concerts to protest against the disqualification of its champion, the opposition finally decided to take part in the ballot.
2024 in question mark
The stated objective of Yewwi Askan Wi is to compel [le président sénégalais] Macky Sall to a cohabitation. To achieve this, Ousmane Sonko’s coalition is considering an alliance with Wallu Senegal [“Sauver le Sénégal”, en wolof]formed around the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) of former President Abdoulaye Wade [président de 2000 à 2012].
This campaign is therefore not lacking in challenges. The ruling coalition, Benno Bokk Yakaar [“Unis par l’espoir”, union gouvernementale sortante soutenant le président en exercice, Macky Sall, elle est constituée notamment de l’Alliance pour la République (APR), parti du chef de l’État, de l’Alliance des forces de progrès (AFP) et du Parti socialiste (PS)]like the two main opposition unions, have objective reasons to invest, body and soul, in this election, the results of which can predict the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
And the least we can say is that the opposition will take advantage of the campaign period to hammer out tirades on a possible third candidacy that is rightly or wrongly attributed to Macky Sall. The ruling coalition, which has already affirmed its serenity in the face of the actions of the opposition, which it considers irresponsible, will probably provide the necessary response.
The beauty of democratic debate
And that is the beauty of democratic debate. In any case, only the strength of the argument should prevail. This sentence has all its meaning in Senegal. Indeed, this country, of course, can pride itself on being one of the continent’s democratic showcases, but it must be recognized that many of the elections it has had to organize have been marred by violence, before, during and after the elections. Deaths have sometimes even been recorded.
Last June alone, clashes between demonstrators and police left two dead in Dakar and in the south of the country, particularly in Casamance. The croquants wanted to do battle with the Senegalese justice for having challenged the national list of holders of Yewwi Askan Wi, led by Ousmane Sonko. Finally, the latter put water in… his tea, by committing his coalition to take part in the election. This act increases him.
Because democracy also means respecting the texts and laws of the Republic. It is also the place to call on the partisans of each other to know, in all circumstances, to keep reason. Because politicians, in our tropics, are so made that they have no qualms about sending their supporters to the slaughterhouse to do battle with their opponents or with the forces of order.
And afterwards, the same people who had incited their militants to violence feel no embarrassment about patching things up with their rivals of yesterday over sumptuous bottles of champagne. In any case, we must avoid dying for a politician in our tropics. Because we risk dying for nothing.
Avoid physical violence
This wisdom applies to the entire African continent. To return to the campaign itself, all the political actors are challenged. Not everything is allowed there. In addition to physical violence, which must absolutely be avoided, it is also necessary to avoid boxing the opponent below the belt or a djellaba, named after the boubou prized in Muslim countries.
On the other hand, it is allowed to attack the programs, with arguments, to expose their weaknesses. In democracy too, you have to accept the principle of change, of alternation. And all of this is decided at the ballot box. This is how Abdoulaye Wade had struck down Abdou Diouf [successeur de Léopold Sédar Senghor à la présidence de la République de 1981 à 2000].
This is also how Macky Sall had forced Abdoulaye Wade to leave power [en 2012]. From this point of view, it is not excluded that the campaign which opened this Sunday gives birth to an Assembly, on July 31, where we will witness the first political cohabitation in the country of Senghor [premier président du Sénégal, 1960-1980].