It was an argument worth its weight in gold. In the early hours of the wave of opposition during the last local elections, the mayor of Dakar said he saw no point in complying with a law that the National Assembly was happy to flout. Barthélemy Dias, then freshly brought to the head of the City of Dakar, had pointed the finger at the composition of the Bureau of the National Assembly to maintain Abass Fall as his first deputy against the provisions of the law on parity. In the odour of sanctity then with the Pastef party, Taxawu Senegaal had invested in a defiance without common measure. Yesterday, the final act of the divorce between the two largest formations of the Coalition Yewwi askan wi was sealed. The City Council of Dakar finally opted for compliance with the law, ordered by the Court of Appeal.

As Le Quotidien newspaper predicted, Barth’ said: “My opinion is not important. It is the decision of Justice and we are obliged to comply with it.” Consequently, Abass Fall of the dissolved Pastef party is no longer the first deputy mayor of the City of Dakar. The position escaped the “Patriots”. Marie Rose Faye’s attempt to retain the post was sanctioned by 20 votes. Ngoné Mbengue of Taxawu Senegaal becomes the first deputy mayor of Dakar.

Faced with the fait accompli, Abass Fall has swallowed his pride and becomes, at the limit, fatalistic. “To all the “Patriots” from here and elsewhere, the eviction of the Pastef party from the Municipal Office of the City of Dakar is not a news item. The only battle to be fought is that of the candidacy of the Pros and the release of political prisoners. Focus on these goals. 2024 is in 6 months, InshaAllah. Thank you all for your support”, contently declare the former ally and first deputy to the mayor of Dakar.

The consequences of a divorce
This eviction of Abass Faal, even though legal, has finalised the divorce between the ex Pastef party and Taxawu Senegaal.  In fact; nothing stopped the lieutenants of Khalifa Sall to offer the position to Marie Rose Faye, on a silver platter, if their interests continued to converge. 

The « Patriots » were the first to open the hostilities.  Ousman Sonko; though in the know about the nocturnal meetings between President Macky Sall and Barthélemy Dias, did not find it necessary to distance himself from such arrangements at the beginning.  Discovering that games were played; the mayor of Ziguinchor ranted a populist speech to throw Khalifa Sall and Barth’ in the mud. He had hoped to make political gains.  The situation having evolved, the fracture has worsened.

Wanting to play on the two tables, the chief «Patriot» has simply lost his round.  Caught up with his positions on the candidatures of Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade and feeling that his own was far away, Sonko radicalised.   The revelation of the Presidential, classed 3rd in 2019 for his first participation, he is the big loser of the Yewwi askan wi Coalition. Taxawu Senegaal pulled the maximum popularity from Sonko who was planted all over the national territory. In the depths of his cell, he will find out for himself that politics has its rules.

By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH