The head of State has surrounded himself with a shock team, cut to tackle both the social and economic challenges that have shaken the country, as well as respond to the opposition. But it could also serve to win other battles to come.A government of combat, Prime Minister Amadou Ba said.Presumably, he was thinking about the social and economic challenges that the country is currently facing, which are very real.The President of the Republic himself talked about it the day before the appointment of his head of government, drawing up the picture of his priorities.If the high cost of basicnecessities affects all strata of society, the problems of flooding in certain districts of Dakar, as in some other localities of the country, have given, in the eyes of some opponents and part of the public opinion, a feeling of amateurism on the part of the public authorities;especially when people rehash the huge amounts that were dedicated to this problem since the beginning of MackySall‘s regime.All these fights will not be forgotten, they will even be taken head on.Because in truth, they are part of the sequences of the great battle that is being prepared.And that this team’s mission is set to help win.Many observers and « predictors » in social media networks foretold a government of rupture, highlighting the need for the president, to bounce back after two electoral setbacks, including the locals in January 2022, and the Legislative Elections of July 31 of the same year.President MackySall has taken these elements into account, and above all he has also taken into account the need to regain control in areas where he has found himself weak, while reinforcing his strengths.So first of all, the return of Amadou Ba is a sign that the fight for the reconquest of Dakar is far from over.With its high voter quotient, the capital cannot be written off by the powers that be.And who better than the one who won the 2017 legislative elections and ensured the results of the referendum of the previous year in the capital, is better placed to lead this fight?Especially since his leadership in the largest municipality of Dakar, that of ParcellesAssainies, is less and less contested?As Prime Minister, Amadou Ba is now even better equipped to launch his best forces into the Battle of Dakar, which will be joined by other troops provided by the other leaders.The return of a MameMbayeNiang, in a government led by the one he had thought he could make a political rival, the maintaining of Victorine Ndèye and MoustaphaDiop, despite their failure in the conquest of a parliamentary seat, the returns of IsmaïlaMadior Fall and Abdou Karim Fofana, can only be explained by the desire to strengthen a governance that will be increasingly heckled by an opposition to whom its gains in the National Assembly have whetted their appetite.The head of state has long suffered from a lack of debaters capable of stepping up to the plate to defend his policy and explain his approach to the Senegalese.Now he has eloquent speakers, doubling as conscientious workers.We have seen that during the difficulties surrounding the management of the alleged rape of OusmaneSonko, the President found himself alone at the front, with his Minister of the Interior, Antoine Félix Diome.Many local political heads were absent.Similarly, when it was necessary to combat for the local and legislative elections, only those who were invested gave sweat and tears.This kind of behaviour may not be repeated with the new heads that will adorn the table of the Council of Ministers.It is not Doudou Ka or Aliou Sow who might be afraid to face OusmaneSonko during a debate.PapeMalickNdour is also not bad at this exercise.And if it is a question of defending the budgetary framework or the economic management of the country, one could hardly find an expert to dispute the figures that Moustapha « Bosquier » Ba presented.For many years, even before occupying the Directorate-General for Budget, he was at the helm of drawing up the table of the financial operations of the State of Senegal.MackySall and Amadou Ba only ended up formalising a de facto situation.That is to say that if there is no shortage of « lame ducks », the new ministerial team is nevertheless equipped to withstand the winds of adversity.Assisted by the real « government of the Palace » of which Macky has surrounded himself with MoustaphaNiasse, MahmoutSaleh, AbdoulayeDaoudaDiallo and Yoro Dia, he has an armour that would hardly be shaken political critics.Macky has a real government of combat, but not of any fight.Because this team looks far too good to be contented with managing current affairs until the end of the President’s term.In truth, MackySall has surrounded himself with men and women who would allow him to run, and win another presidential term.But the question is – as always – whether he truly wants to try this adventure.By Mohamed GUEYE 
/ mgueye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH / Serigne S. DIAGNE