Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has decided to audit the entire State, is trying to mark his reign with strong actions.Will he follow through on his announcements?In truth, there’s nothing new under the sun, as Lawyer Wade began his regime in 2000, just like him.

After a few days studying the files in his offices, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has decided to set the judicial control machine in motion. There is the publication of reports from the National Office Against Corruption (Ofnac) and the Court of Accounts, some of which are already available. And for the reports of the Inspection General of the State (Ige), a presidential « declassification » is required.

At his second Cabinet meeting, President Faye set the scene for his management of public affairs. It seems to herald a break in governance. In truth, there is a « past-present » aspect to the announced widespread use of audits in all sectors. As triumphant as Diomaye when he came to power in 2000, Lawyer Abdoulaye Wade was the gardener of dreams for millions of Senegalese. As charismatic as he was brilliant, ambitious and influential, the former President could move mountains with the help of Senegalese who believed in his project to transform Senegal: Sopi. The anthem was both simple and full of common sense: « We must work, work a lot, work some more and always work. » This phrase, taken from his inaugural speech at the packed Léopold Senghor Stadium, heralded a Senegal of hard work and integrity.  Lawyer Wade had simply « amnestied » his predecessor, Abdou Diouf, who had represented him at the African Union summit in Cairo. For the other members of the defeated socialist regime, it was time to stay at home. Audits were launched by Lawyer Wade to shed light on the management of public affairs by the socialist barons.

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After a few months, the results were in: fictitious employment, prevarication, misappropriation of public funds. The hunt was on via the judicial machinery, with the arrest of several former managing directors of major public corporations such as the Autonomous Port of Dakar, Lonase, the National Railway Company, Sicap and the Centre of University Works of Dakar. After a few months, the affair came to nothing. As a shrewd politician, he completely changed his approach and vision: these files will be used as leverage to recruit socialist pundits to help massify his party. It was time for the political transhumance that has completely decimated the Socialist Party (Ps), which has become skeletal after 40 years in power. Preoccupied with future elections, he filed away all the audit reports in the presidential drawers. He won the 2001 legislative elections with a comfortable majority, and was re-elected in 2007 on the first ballot. But he was unable to win his bid for a third term. His regime, plagued by management scandals and corruption, was swept aside in 2012 by Macky Sall.

A little from Macky

Like Diomaye Faye, President Sall also undertook a cleaning out the Augias’ stables at the heart of the State. Then there were the audits of the presidential services, followed by revelations as unprecedented as they were grotesque: thefts of carpets, paintings, rugs and vehicles. Policemen and gendarmes were called in to track down these objects, whose revelations had moved the Senegalese, who measured through this information the depth of the damage allegedly caused by the Wade regime. Some even spoke of carnage….

Diomaye Launches the Machine for Audits

This will be followed by the hunt for ill-gotten gains, with the reactivation of the Court for the Repression of Illicit Enrichment (Crei). Karim Wade, son of the former President, will be the face of this hunt for embezzlers of public assets. Along with Bibo Bourgi and other financial figures, they were tried and convicted by the Crei. However, a list of a dozen former ministers and senior civil servants heard by the Colobane Research Unit was shelved. After this episode, Macky Sall was no longer the same: he had become a politician preoccupied with his re-election in 2019, which he also won in the first round. What will President Diomaye do? Will willpower, determination and ambition be enough to achieve the « systemic transformation » promised to the Senegalese people? Wait and see!

By Bocar SAKHO / bsakho@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH