Political players have reacted to Ousmane Sonko’s appearance the day before yesterday at the Grand Thêatre. Sonko took the opportunity to settle scores with those he considers his detractors. This was enough to make Thierno Bocoum react. President of the political movement Agir, Bocoum is critical of the way in which Ousmane Sonko has attacked the press and the opposition, while at the same time making threats.

After Ousmane Sonko’s appearance the day before yesterday at Dakar’s Grand Théâtre, it’s now the turn of the political players to play out this public conference on the contribution of young “Patriots” to the “Project”. This prompted reactions from all sides, including Thierno Bocoum. In a post on Facebook, Bocoum made a subtle jab at the Prime Minister, who, according to him, was running late.

« The government action plan he is announcing for the near future has been requested of him for a very long time. In the first communiqué of the Council of Ministers dated April 9, 2024, it was stated: “The President of the Republic has asked the Prime Minister, on the basis of the Project and the presidential orientations indicated above, to finalize, before the end of April 2024, the Government Action Plan, with a precise agenda for achieving the objectives set.” He’s several months late, but finds the time to play political games by highlighting a skill that has already shown its limits », wrote the leader of the Agir movement, Bocoum whilst raising a number of questions in his post.

Pastef leader Sonko at the Grand Theatre

« How can we call certain magistrates corrupt, when we decide to interfere in the initiation of the prosecutor’s self-investigation through his Minister of Justice? Why not ask the prosecutor to do his work on his own case, which is pending before the courts?”

However, for him, supervising the judiciary and the press according to his own guidelines is the worst excess of an apprentice dictator.

Read the column – Sonko, a Prime Minister who plays the wrong role

« Attacking an opposition, which has decided to allow time for observation, is a fine demonstration of incapacity in the face of new state burdens. The ingenious feat was to find the time to play political games after having asked for time to produce results », said Bocoum. « Ousmane Sonko has decided to govern and oppose at the same time. Governing against his opponents, opposing his opponents. The one who was ready to dislodge a legally elected President from the Palace of the Republic to take his place, will do everything to replace his foal. His time will be devoted to party politics. The proper handling of the major interests of the people will unfortunately have to wait », argued Thierno Bocoum. The new holders of power know what to expect.

Abdou Mbow to Pastef leader: “Work and stop threatening people”.

The reactions continue to flow in the wake of statements made by Pastef party leader Ousmane Sonko on the reports of the supervisory bodies and against the opposition, magistrates and the press. Abdou Mbow, chairman of the Benno bokk yaakaar (Bby) parliamentary group, is not shying away. Reacting on Rfm yesterday to Sonko’s outburst, Mbow said he was both “surprised and shocked by the attitude” of the leader of the “Patriots”. « A person who spent his time in opposition threatening jurists, gendarmes, policemen, religious leaders, politicians, among others. Today, as Prime Minister of Senegal, he continues to threaten. I think he’s wearing a suit that doesn’t fit him, or else he really does have a problem », pointed out Abdou Mbow, who is also deputy spokesperson for the Alliance for the Republic (Apr). 

He spoke of a Sonko who has ‘asked for everything’ and to whom ‘the Senegalese have given everything’. “Instead of getting down to work, putting Senegal to work, he’s once again giving lectures and talking,” says the Bby MP.  And advised the PM: “All he has to do is go to work. He has to stop threatening people. He has all the tools. He has the reports on his table, all he has to do is act on them. »

By Amadou MBODJI and Mamadou Ticko DIATTA / ambodji@lequotidien.sn – mdiatta@lequotidien.sn 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH