Member of Parliament Nafissatou Diallo of the Pds has introduced a bill to update the Standing Orders of the National Assembly to allow Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to make his General Policy Statement (Dpg). The MP thus intends to take part in the effort to defuse the much-feared institutional crisis of recent times, culminating in the controversy surrounding the General Policy Statement.

A draft organic law was recently submitted to the National Assembly by MP Nafissatou Diallo of the Pds. Backed by the Honourable Ibrahima Diop and Serigne Abo Mbacké Thiam, this organic law aims to bring the Standing Orders in line with recent constitutional changes, in particular the restoration of the post of Prime Minister.

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The position of Prime Minister was abolished in Senegal, then reintroduced by law no. 2021-41 of 20 December 2021 through a revision of the Constitution. However, the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly were not updated to reflect this change. This omission creates a legal vacuum, as pointed out by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who mentioned that he was unable to make his General Policy Statement due to the absence of specific provisions in the current Standing Orders.  In a letter addressed to the President of the National Assembly, Amadou Mame Diop, the Honourable Member Nafissatou Diallo explains that the proposed organic law « aims to update the Standing Orders to enable the Prime Minister to present his General Policy Statement in accordance with the new government structure ».

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Stressing that this update « is essential to ensure the proper functioning of the institutions », she also said that it would make it possible to « comply with the constitutional amendments adopted ».  If accepted and adopted, Nafissatou Diallo’s proposal will fill the current legal vacuum and facilitate the legislative process concerning the Prime Minister’s Declaration of General Policy. Before Nafissatou Diallo, her colleague Cheikh Abdou Mbacké Bara Dolli first introduced a bill in the National Assembly to require the institution to « update its Standing Orders ». In doing so, he played his part in averting an institutional crisis in Senegal against the backdrop of the Prime Minister’s general policy statement.

By Amadou MBODJI / ambodji@lequotidien.sn 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH