The media blackout decreed yesterday has sparked a wave of indignation within the political class. President of the parliamentary group Benno Bokk Yaakaar (Bby), Abdou Mbow believes that the press is much more than a simple relay of information, it constitutes a fundamental pillar of democracy.

Faced with what he considers a dangerous decline in freedom of expression, the president of the Benno Bokk Yaakaar (Bby) parliamentary group, Abdou Mbow, expressed his solidarity with the Senegalese press regarding the day without press observed yesterday by the majority of private media. « I express my solidarity with the Senegalese press. Personally, I am a journalist and therefore, I could be where you are today, » said Abdou Mbow yesterday, during the opening of the first extraordinary session of the year 2024 of the National Assembly devoted to the request for updating the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.

Media Black Out 20 Years Later…

For the Benno bokk yaakaar MP, the press constitutes a fundamental pillar of democracy. « The press is an important link in democracy. And it is sad to see today, in Senegal, in the 21st century, a day without press », deplored the MP and deputy spokesperson of the Alliance for the Republic (Apr), former ruling party. Abdou Mbow recalled that this is only the second time in the political history of Senegal that such an initiative has been taken, the last one dating back to 2004. « In the political history of Senegal, this is the second time, apart from 2004, that a day without the press has been organised. This means that today, the horizon is dark, democracy is in difficulty.

Joint editorial: The Senegalese media, a programmed death

This means that we want to break freedom of opinion. This means that today, in Senegal, we have a power that does not know its priorities,” says Abdou Mbow. The president of the Parliamentary Group Benno Bokk Yaakaar also highlighted the potential economic impact of such a regression, recalling that freedom of the press is an essential criterion for international organizations when it comes to supporting certain democracies. “It must be said, even on the economic level, freedom of the press and freedom of opinion are among the criteria that international organizations put on the table to support certain democracies,” he specified.

The MP concluded by expressing his concern about what he considers to be a worrying trend. « And today we have noted for 3 months, as the joint editorial has well described: a clear desire to work at everything possible to ensure that freedom of the press is reduced, and this is regrettable. »

By Ousmane SOW 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH