Politics

Senegal: President Sall wants government to preserve public order. But whose job is that?

Published

2 years ago

March 23, 2023

Senegalese President, Macky Sall wants the government to intensify efforts to “preserve public order” following a series of demonstrations led by opposition members.

Sall said the government should “take all appropriate measures to ensure the absolute security of goods and people”, according to an official statement following protests over the trial of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko left at least one person dead.

The prominent opposition Senegalese leader was ordered to face trial for alleged rape in January after the 48-year-old former tax inspector came third in Senegal’s presidential election in 2019 and has enjoyed a rapid political rise thanks in part to his popularity with young people.

He has been receiving medical treatment since he was allegedly sprayed with tear gas and manhandled last week as authorities escorted him to a courthouse.

According to local officials, a man was killed on Tuesday during clashes between Sonko’s supporters and police.

The first round of the Senegalese presidential election will take place on February 25, 2024, the Ministry of the Interior announced.

Several party leaders have already declared that they would run for president, but as in 2019, they will first have to pass the sponsorship stage in the hands of citizens.

Sall’s remark comes as a paradox because as president, the responsibility for the security and welfare of the people lies on his table.

Related Topics:Featured President Macky Sall Senegal

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.