Beaten in the National Assembly, MP Amy Ndiaye Gniby was evacuated to the Principal Hospital in Dakar. This act tarnishes the image of the National Assembly, which is struggling to operate a rupture.

The extensions of the incident that had caused the suspension of the vote on the budget of the Minister of the Interior on Monday were played out in a dramatic way. The MP, Amy Ndiaye Gniby, who had refused to apologise to SerigneMoustapha Sy, was in the sights of the Pur MPs, who were still ruminating their anger. Yesterday, it escalated in the National Assembly during the vote on the budget of the Minister of Justice.

It was MP Massata Samb who administered a violent slap in the face to the MP for Benno bokk yaakaar. The parliamentarian, from the Pur party, asked, like those who preceded him in the parlor, namely Sanou Dione, Guy Marius Sagna, the president of the National Assembly to call to order the deputies of the Coalition Benno bokk yaakaar, who would disrupt the session. At the podium, he maintained that there is a member who made discourteous remarks about the Moustarchidines guide. Lady Awa Ndiaye Gniby, who felt indexed, replied in Wolof by saying, « Ma tayy (I totally assume). »

Massata Samb mistook this answer. Then, he reacted energetically: « Oh well! » He left the pulpit to come to her. And gave her a shameful slap. This is one act too many. After this slap, the MP received a blow to the stomach from her colleague from Yaw, Mamadou Niang. She collapsed and then went into a fit. She was then evacuated to Dakar’s Hospital Principal for first aid. According to confidences of MPs, Mrs. Ndiaye is pregnant, giving this act an even more dramatic twist. The Chamber is upside down. « This is a very dangerous precedent, » said MP Thierno Alassane Sall.

« We are in a deplorable situation that totally destroys the image of Senegal. While Lions are doing great things and trying to sell a positive image of Senegal, every day since September 12, the Assembly has been the place where the ugliestinsults and abuse are used. It is not in the wrestling arenas, it is not in the streets, it is in the National Assembly that we collect the most insults and from all sides. There are some who are more prominent than others. » Quite annoyed by this scene, he continued: « I am insulted from time to time. It is not the personal dimension that matters. We must rise above our own people and try to be surpassing, to think about the Republic, the children who look at us, the world that looks at us, instead of giving a disastrous image. All the African countries, which have been in this situation, with an august assembly that gets in the mud, after it is the Army. If we civilians are not able to solve our problems, to find consensus, to observe the rules of operation of a democracy and to observe the rules of conduct, it is the Army. I do not see why we just want to ask the Army to be serious, rigorous, people to follow the rules, and we do what we want. It has to stop before it’s too late. »

For him, institutions are no longer respected and honoured in this country. « We hear everything now, we even insult State institutions. The President is called a liar, the Prime Minister a liar at all times. On the other hand, we also attack high figures of the State, » deplored TAS, whilst invites his colleagues to refrain from summoning religious leaders in political debates in the National Assembly. « We must stop summoning religious leaders into political debates if we want to protect them. Serenity must return to all sides; otherwise I do not see why the young people who are in the streets must behave better than us. I don’t see why the Army has to behave better than us, » he said.

Obviously, the parliamentarians of the majority did not appreciate the gesture of Massata Samb. « There is violence against women in the National Assembly and before the Minister of Justice, » laments Racky Diallo, who finds that a religious man should not get involved in politics at the risk of suffering political treatment. « If a religious man talks about politics, we answer him with politics, » she said. Comments that are not to the liking of the opposition members who stormed the pulpit. This act pushed the President of the National Assembly to suspend the session again, which resumed minutes later…


By Justin GOMIS / justin@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH