The Minister of Tourism, MameMbayeNiang, held a press conference the day before yesterday to comment on accusations that the leader of the Pastef party, OusmaneSonko, has made about his person regarding embezzlement of about CFA 29 billion at the time when he was in charge of the Prodac (Communal Agricultural Domains Program), as Minister of Youth.The mayor of Ziguinchor claims to have a report from the General State Inspectorate (IGE) which incriminates MameMbayeNiang in wrongdoing.The latter invites him through a lawsuit to present such a report and puts his resignation from the government on the table and its availability to the Senegalese justice, if the allegations of the leader of Pastef are proven.This intervention by MameMbayeNiang is a refreshing moment in our public and political life because it puts an end to a trend in our political game of unfounded accusations or without real basis.A tyranny of false accusations and intellectual terrorism coupled with bad faith and carried by loudmouths who arrived in politics by accident, has been allowed to flourish to the point where any public actor can be attacked overnight by a blind pack.If all political leaders and personalities, unjustly attacked, decided to cross swords with their accusers, they would find themselves in a bad lightvis-à-vis the masses.The example of MameMbayeNiang must be followed so that in our political sphere, which has become an arena of gladiators; the madmen and brute beasts are contained if not tamed.Accusations of wrongdoing in public management are a good thing for the champions of probity, but it is still necessary to be able to provide proof of that support those accusations.Anybody can start accusing well-defined targets, and anybody can pour a bucket of mud on opponents whose enmity could lead to the worst.A wise elder used to tell me that there is a confrontation in this country that is constantly being postponed, especially for this whole generation that has just arrived in politics and believes itself to be a gift from God in the country of Senghor and Dia.This generation full of certainties, with a superficial depth and a hollow speech that betrays its playful nature, must one day see its perspectives confront each other and the act of MameMbayeNiang is a good start for such a confrontation.I even forgot that it was « convinced » nationalists and « proud » Africans who chastised MameMbayeNiangin Parliament for not speaking polished French, after being indignant about President Macron’s remarks at the Francophonie summit.What is laughable is the inconsistency in cowardice.We are in a country where people produce incriminating reports thanks to the fertility of their minds, claim to read intelligence notes that even the authorised services are surprised of their existence.They are in the secret of the gods for all the audit missions, they are more than on the lookout for all the publications of the Official Gazette and they even have all the information they want on the highest authority of the country.This circus must stop and it is up to everyone to do their part.We cannot continue to be held hostage by empty barrels that have insults in their shoulder straps, and are devoid of any courage with their batch of empty threats.They are loquacious, good only at plotting and gossiping, that one would think we were in a medieval Eastern court with its share of eunuchs.Simone de Beauvoir must surely have seen in her dreams the political entrepreneurs of our generation of Senegalese, when she suggests that some of them think hard « that the emptiness of their brains furnishes their balls ».Would-be predators who decide to dress up as social justice warriors, the People in whose name this sad spectacle is served will appreciate.Dakar is a small city.Within two or three people, everyone knows each other and all circles overlap.The charm of the « consanguinity » and the inter-society of the political and economic elite of this country is that if you scratch closely and connect the dots, you can see clearly all the postures and accusations, the pleas and indignations…No one in this city has a monopoly on insolence, incorrectness, invective and terror.There is nothing more gratuitous than an accusation without proof.If this is the game we want to play, everyone will gladly play it and we’ll see where the tears come from.By Serigne Saliou DIAGNE / saliou.diagne@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Dema SANE