Dissolving the High-Council of Local Authorities (Hcct) and the Social, Economic and Environmental Council (Cese), which is the wish of the Head of State, could pave the way for the dissolution of the National Assembly. This Thursday, MPs will be called into an extraordinary session to vote on the bill to abolish these two institutions. 

Until now, the project has been put on hold. Apparently, the opportunity has arisen for the Head of State to dissolve the two institutions of the Republic, the High Council of Local Authorities (Hcct) and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese). Yesterday, the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, issued a decree calling the National Assembly into extraordinary session. A press release issued by the President of the Republic states: ‘In accordance with article 63 of the Constitution, the President of the Republic has transmitted to the President of the National Assembly the decree convening the National Assembly for an extraordinary session on Thursday 29 August 2024 to consider the bill amending the Constitution’. ‘The proposed amendment to the Constitution concerns the abolition of the High Council of Local Authorities (Hcct) and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (Cese)’, the document concludes.

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Now it remains to be seen whether the bill that the government is putting on the table of the President of the National Assembly will win the support of the majority of MPs. The latter, moreover, claims to belong to the Benno bokk yaakaar (Bby) parliamentary group, which has become the new opposition at Soweto Palace. A bill and questions, one might be tempted to say. What lies behind the President’s approach? Is President Diomaye Faye not looking for the ideal pretext to dissolve the National Assembly if the bill in question is voted on or rejected? In any case, passed or not, this bill aimed at putting an end to the existence of the Hcct and the Cese would be the clear way to end the mandate of the MPs of the XIVth Parliament, elected on 31 July 2022 and installed on 12 September of the same year.  In this way, the regime born on the evening of 24 March will have achieved its political goal of building new institutions that are in line with the ideals that its supporters profess and defend everywhere, or to put it another way, in line with the ‘Project’.

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Many members of the presidential camp have called for the dissolution of the National Assembly. Former Prime Minister Aminata Touré, chairperson of the ‘Diomaye Président’ coalition, Aïda Mbodji, and MPs Guy Marius Sagna and Cheikh Thioro Mbacké, all from Yewwi askan wi (Yaw) are amongst members of the presidential camp calling for this measure. Since yesterday, President Diomaye Faye seems to be moving in their direction with his latest decree calling for an extraordinary session of MPs this Thursday.

By Mamadou T. DIATTA / mdiatta@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH