The legislative elections of November 17 are a serious opportunity for a debate between candidates to be held. A debate between the heads of the list in the legislative elections is essential to allow voters to make a reasoned choice. Such a debate will certainly allow different visions and projects for society to be presented, it will also be an opportunity for our politicians to confront each other with arguments. It has become unfashionable in the Senegalese public space for our politicians to confront each other through press releases and conferences, if they do not engage in vulgar mutual accusations on social networks.  Invectives, accusations of intent and all the noise must give way to conversations between adults competing for votes to identify the one who works the hardest or has the vision most consistent with the aspirations of the majority.

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We argued in these columns last March that with the presidential election, Senegal had an incredible opportunity to elevate public debate. With a public scene far too « marked by fire hydrant quarrels and rag-picker scuffles », it was possible, under the supervision of the National Audiovisual Regulatory Council (CNRA) and sincere collaboration between the media, for an impartial debate to be held. At that time, the constraints mentioned could have been numerous, in particular the close deadlines for the vote or the clear opposition of certain candidates to such an exercise. A debate will unfortunately not be held, while for the 2022 legislative elections, a debate was able to oppose in the department of Ziguinchor, the heads of the list of Benno bokk yaakaar, Victorine Ndeye, and Yewwi askan wi, Guy Marius Sagna. There is therefore no shortage of examples for a reasoned confrontation of arguments and ideas to be offered to the Senegalese.

With these unprecedented legislative elections that are announced with great headliners on the national lists, while waiting for their confirmation by the Constitutional Council, from Amadou Ba to Barthélemy Dias, Macky Sall, Ousmane Sonko or Thierno Alassane Sall, the opportunity cannot be missed in the construction of the Senegalese democratic model that the step is not taken this time. There is plenty of room for manoeuvre for a serious debate or several confrontations between project leaders for the well-being of Senegal and its populations to occur. From these oratorical jousts and this civilized war of arguments, the hope nourished is that the People called to the polls can make their own idea on the reality of the promises that are sold to them. The six months of Pastef power, with the impossibility to this day of communicating a rigorous and concrete document on their vision for a Senegal, is enough for no politician in this country to be believed at his word as long as he does not bring facts to all the ideas professed.

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Alioune Tine of Civil Society finds that there is good in the debate between our political actors. « We must offer a dream platform that will prove to be a real media, political and democratic revolution: a major televised debate between Sonko, Macky, Barth’ and Amadou Ba, organized in collaboration with the CNRA, » said Mr. Tine. This exercise should be made possible for a qualitative improvement of the public debate, but the proposal should be pushed by adding rigorous fact-checking, which will help, at the end of the debate, to verify the statements, arguments and statements defended by the respective candidates.  This work of deconstructing the discourse will be necessary as long as our political actors are sincere in their desire to contribute to the awakening of the populations. Political actors who have nothing against accountability, reasoned control of public life and a cleaning up of the political sphere would hardly oppose any logic of making their discourse clear and especially attacking any fallacious argument aimed only at deceiving the populations.

It is certain that several readers or observers will reproach me for a silly naivety to think that our political figures will open up to this form of exercise. The fans of prepared dictations will not be a thousand miles from such a platform, but it costs nothing to try. Ousmane Sonko and Aminata Touré, who are now on the same political side, were constantly outbidding each other during the 2022 legislative elections, to avoid a confrontation with conditionalities that nothing explained. Let us hope this time that no candidate will seek evasions to avoid taking part in a debate.

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If it materializes, this debate will be a great step forward for the Senegalese democratic model. It will be the perfect opportunity to get an idea of ​​the mastery of the files by those who aspire to lead us, while being a revealer of impostures. Temperaments in the face of adversity will be able to be observed. All this is a lot of transparency, some will say. As we are par excellence in the country of ambiguities and unspoken things, the challenge of seeing such a debate take place will be enormous. However, it will be an opportunity to avoid in the future that serious positions are filled by people unprepared for the task.

Ps: users of the Highway of the Future like me can only be indignant about the ridiculous political placement, playing in propaganda, that some agents carry out at the toll booths. Same as in the weeks preceding the 2024 Presidential election, these are plastic and luminous bracelets in the colours of the party in power that are worn on the left arm and exposed to all users.  The aggressiveness of these garlanded arms would have been just stupid and laughable if the manifestation of political affiliation was not done in a workplace, receiving all audiences. When zeal, irreverence and primary sectarianism are in control, we will have to deal with all the practices that revolt. Poor Senegal.

By Serigne Saliou DIAGNE / saliou.diagne@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH