I was able to see my friend Moustapha Diakhaté, who has been in police custody since then. He seemed calm, tough and seasoned in the face of the ordeal. I found him in good shape and I admit to being relieved, after our discussion, that he agreed to adopt my new posture, that of remaining silent. 

His frankness has not finished causing him setbacks, since the regime of President Abdou Diouf, and I remain convinced that he will take it to his final resting place, as late as possible, if God pleases.

I have no doubt that he will soon be back to his people, because we cannot indefinitely reproach a citizen for expressing his opinion, for caring about the future of the Nation to which he belongs and which he has chosen to serve, at whatever cost. 

Moustapha Diakhaté is made of a single block: that of frankness, loyalty, an immoderate love for his country, respect for humanist values, the Republic and the sacrosanct democratic principles.

This is what we share in common.

For my part, I suggested to him the attitude that I decide to adopt. The Senegalese voters having decided, on November 17, 2024, to vote massively for the Pastef list and entrust full powers to Ousmane Sonko, I give myself a time of observation at least the time of a semester all in silence, to know where all this will lead us.

Madiambal Diagne gives an appointment for the next challenges

In any case, with the mechanical majority that the Senegalese people have just granted them in Parliament, they will have the leisure to show what they will be able to do with this beautiful country. Ousmane Sonko and his regime will be able to adopt all the reforms they want, the Senegalese people, who have given them all the weapons and levers, will accommodate them. I urge the new opposition MPs to adopt the same attitude of silence. Indeed, seeking to block their ambitions will be seeking to stop the sea with its arms. Whatever you say, they will do what they want. Vote for their texts or, at the very least, abstain from voting and from debates. Any other attitude will amount to a certain legitimization of their autocratic power.

The Senegalese will measure for themselves the extent of their mistake. We certainly respect the choice of the voters, even if we are convinced that they were wrong and that they will inevitably realize it. « Time is the only good judge, » said a certain François-Marie Arouet, a famous writer under the pen of Voltaire.

Mixed fortunes for Moustapha Diakhaté and Adama Gaye

I must emphasize that I also found it totally unfair that Moustapha Diakhaté was denied the right to criticize political opponents, while they themselves copiously insult their so-called detractors. His arrest, to use the words of Lawyer El Hadji Amadou Sall, one of his lawyers, « is a hostage-taking with a ransom demand, which is to force him to shut his mouth. » 

We decide to jointly pay the ransom; it is, once again, by our silence.

Certainly, the disappearance of a Moustapha Diakhaté from the political scene would not fail to delight some people. We do not have the vocation to become martyrs, but rather we hope to be part, like Moustapha Diakhaté, of those who will make it their duty to strive to console our abused People. The Senegalese People will certainly need us. Let us be ready to serve democracy. We will take stock, we will look at our strategies, our weaknesses and our strengths, we will reflect on the offers that we will not fail to present on the occasion of future elections. 

This is the whole meaning of our commitment. Moreover, we will remain stoic, deaf, dumb and blind in the face of provocations that will hardly be lacking.

In the meantime, I will return to Voltaire to do as his character, Candid: « Cultivate my garden. » I intend to devote the next six months to literary production and the spectacle of football matches.
By Madiambal DIAGNE