The election campaign seems to be the ideal time for a number of socio-political players to take a stand by calling on candidates to make commitments on specific points. One of the most dynamic groups on this issue, « Sursaut Citoyen« , has asked the presidential candidates to sign their Pact for Good Democratic Governance to rebuild the institutions. They urge all candidates to sign the document. This is nothing new. Since the February 2007 presidential election, the socio-political players who took part in the National Conferences have regularly encouraged politicians to commit to implementing the conclusions of the Conferences.

Between the two rounds of voting in 2012, Macky Sall went to sign the famous conclusions. Once in power, he argued that he had signed « with reservations ». This prompted him to set up a National Commission for Institutional Reform (CNRI), which he had chaired by a national monument, Ahmadou Makhtar Mbow, to give it greater credibility. Once the commission’s work was completed and its conclusions in his possession, the President declared that he would take whatever he saw fit. Looking at what happened, we can imagine that once the CNRI delegation had left the Palace, Macky Sall hurried to throw their document in the bin.

This is hardly an exaggeration.

Read the column – Drawing Inspiration from Macky’s Promises

But it should be noted that the Senegalese are persistent in their ideas. The warm welcome given by the Senegalese authorities has never dampened the ardour of the militants of what can be called « the Senegalese Left », as well as certain groups of activists, to see the decisions resulting from the National Conferences adopted? For many, it has even become a leitmotif. So much so that they are reminiscent of Caton l’Ancien, with his famous « Delenda Carthago »…
And since the conclusions of the Conferences need updating, other movements sometimes add other demands. For example, And Samm jikko yi, an association for the preservation of values, often took to the political stage during last year’s local and legislative elections to get the various political parties and coalitions to commit, once elected, to passing a law criminalising homosexuality. Faced with the refusal of the ruling coalition to make such a commitment, the organisation’s leaders did not hesitate to call for a vote to defeat the candidates supported by the Benno government.

Read the column – The Senegal that They Make Us Dream Off

This time, we haven’t yet heard such a stance, but there are still days to go. The « activists » are not giving up yet. The fashion for commitments is such that even the economic players have joined the bandwagon. A « Charter of priorities and commitments for the national private sector » has been circulating for nearly 3 days, signed by the Dakar Chamber of Commerce (Cciad), the Cnp, the Mdes, the Unacois Jappo, the Unacois Yessal, the Ges, the Cdes, the Cnes and the Cis. In short, by all the representative bodies of Senegal’s business leaders, even those with briefcase companies.
In the preamble of their text, these organisations (reaffirm that) « Senegal cannot be built without its national private sector, and maintain that no country can provide lasting solutions to improving the living conditions of its population and creating sustainable jobs, without its wealth-producing national energies ». For this reason, they say that « the State-Strategist that we want is one that considers that its relations with its national private sector are built on trust, commitment, solidarity, transparency and mutual respect ». On the basis of these considerations, these organisations are asking « those seeking the votes of the Senegalese people » to sign the Charter of Presidential Commitments.

This document contains 30 commitments covering both political governance and the organisation of the economy. Alongside issues relating to the economic environment, there are points on local content, employment, training, business financing, taxation and customs, public procurement, land and much more. On all these different points, the national employers’ association is hoping for a commitment from the country’s aspiring leaders, and encourages  them to sign it at the Dakar Chamber of Commerce on Independence Square.

Read the column – Development Paths Mapped Out in the Desert

It should be noted that this document does not indicate whether these members of the employers’ association, some of whom are known to be close to presidential candidates, have spoken to any of these candidates, let alone read their economic programmes. If this basic step has not been taken, how do they expect to convince politicians to sign up to their charter, and hope that the latter will not change their minds once they no longer need their votes? The Macky Sall experience should have enlightened them and made them more circumspect. Shouldn’t the most reasonable method have been, for a long time now – and not just on the eve of the election – to talk to the various political groups, and to ask the leaders about their vision in relation to specific points, instead of trying to « sell » them a set of specifications that we don’t know if they can fulfil?

Quite unexpected from people whose first point of concern is how to « consolidate public/private dialogue, assess the impact of economic and budgetary policy, as well as sectoral policies on the national economy ».

By Mohamed GUEYE 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH