The Benno Coalition leader is taking his time before announcing the choice of candidate for the supreme office. Finally, as has become his custom, Macky Sall will make his announcement upon returning from the Magal celebration, on Saturday September 9. He will immediately carry out a slight reshuffle of the government, before flying to the United States.

Before announcing his desire not to run for a third term, President Macky Sall allowed the Senegalese digest their Tabaski sheep before launching the bomb. If we judge by the effects that this news had produced, we can understand why he wanted to reproduce it with regard to the other suspense in which he holds the entire population.

Le Quotidien has learned that the Benno bokk yaakaar Coalition leader has already made his choice as to the candidate he will propose to his supporters for the next election. He will make it known in a week’s time to enable the pilgrims, Mourides and non-Mourides (the Magal of Touba having become over the years, a most ecumenical celebration in which different representations of Senegalese seem to be found), return from their celebrations in the capital of Mouridism.

Macky Sall will probably choose a meeting of the higher authorities of his coalition to give his scoop. It will probably also be an opportunity for him, this Saturday, September 9, to remind his comrades of the need to present a united front with a view to the next Presidential election, as, he keeps saying, it is only in unity that Benno can have the chance to win the Presidential election. Therefore, the multiple self-proclaimed candidates, who continue to make themselves known, should, once the choice of President is known, line up behind the designated champion of the coalition. We have seen some people proclaim through the media that they do not intend to stand behind anyone, because they believe they are the best. This will be the moment to see if they have the maturity to swallow their pride to agree to campaign on behalf of the one who will be supported by the leader of the coalition, and who, in theory, will have a better chance of winning. 

Once this mission has been accomplished, the President of the Republic will, according to information gathered from reliable sources, carry out a mini-reshuffle of his government. Without doubt the last of his mandate. And certainly, with the idea of making government action more effective. Let us not forget that, since the departure of Rewmi’s ministers from the government team, Prime Minister Amadou Ba has been in charge of the missions which were assigned to them, namely the Department of Sports and that of Animal Rearing. But, nothing says that the reorganization that the head of state intends to carry out will relate to these two ministries in question. For the moment, only the person concerned is able to say this.

In any case, as if to complete his agenda for this period, the President will go to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, as has been his custom since he took office.

By Mohamed GUEYE / mgueye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH