Senegal
Senegal: Macky Sall and the broken promise
Five years, that’s all. With this promise, Senegal’s President has won once-the choice is yours. Even if the constitutional referendum now is a victory for him is looming – many voters are disappointed.
The Senegalese are quite accustomed to their President. Already Macky for salls predecessor has strained the nerves of his constituents neat: Only had
Abdoulaye Wade leave shortly before the end of his second term in office in 2011, the constitutional change to be able to in the future, seven instead of only five years of rule. Then he obtained of the constitutional Council granted an exception and came for a third Time, although it was strictly forbidden. Many Senegalese feel cheated protested. The mood in the run-up to the elections was charged, it was feared a civil war.
Then came
Macky Sall with the sentence: “I’m going to limit my term of office to five years,” and the heart of the Senegalese to flew to him. Wade was defeated in the runoff election, Sall became the new President. If the Rapper Thiat, currently one of his loudest critics, thinks back, then he laughs scornfully: “Over 60 per cent have only elected because he has promised that his tenure has shorten. The whole world has applauded.”
Smart move or loyalty to the Constitution?
On Sunday, the Senegalese were able to vote on a whole series of constitutional reforms and on the question of whether the mandate of the heads of state will be shortened. For Macky for salls current term of office, the same is not true however. The government had campaigned for a “Yes” and now can not get, even if far from being as clear as hoped. According to the interior Ministry, 63 percent of voters were in favour of the Changes proposed by the President. Macky Sall himself had expected, with 80 percent approval. The official result is still pending.
Rappers and critics of the government “Thiat”
For Rapper Thiat the referendum is a Farce. He is a member of the group “Y’en a marre'”, English: “enough”, and is disappointed that Macky Sall shortened his term immediately, but at the earliest, if he is re-elected. “If he had really wanted, he could have this decision to the Parliament to delegate,” says Thiat, is actually Cyrille Oumar Touré. “Again and again he has reiterated that he wants to shorten his mandate. And then – only four years later, he says: It’s not, unfortunately.” For Thiat is: “Sall has betrayed the Senegalese people.”
In fact, Sall reiterated again and again, his hands were tied. He called the constitutional Council, a de facto puppet of the chamber, with five members, all appointed by the President. And have denied him a reduction and to leave the Senegalese, in a referendum vote. For critics like Thiat sounds like a lazy excuse to stay yet another seven years in Power.
Great debate, small turnout
Also to Andrea Kolb of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung for salls procedure acts in a calculated and strategic. Kolb observed the political Situation in the country since 2011. “The people here, it was really about that Macky Sall delivers on his promise and now the population is frustrated and disappointed.”
Not a big turnout at the Referendum: Not even every Second voted
The controversy surrounding the Referendum has divided the Senegalese society. A few days before the election, there were repeated violent of the two stock shocks. However, although the Referendum had been triggered in the run-up to such a big debate, remained in the polling stations on the day of the referendum surprisingly empty. DRIBs and drabs came in the door by the voters. Long Snakes. The turnout was according to the government, at just 40 percent. According to Andrea Kolb, this was due to the fact that 200,000 voter cards were not issued in a timely manner. And then, when it became clear that – no matter how you vote – Macky Sall would be a full seven years to reign, would change “many people are simply not really interested in the Constitution”.
The group “Y’en a marre” was organised before the Referendum a great campaign – as well as the President’s camp. Both sides want to convince the house to visit the voters to vote for “Yes” or “no”. The Sali campaign was not tired to underline their commitment to good governance. “It’s primarily a question of consolidation of the Senegalese democracy,” said Seydou Gueye, a spokesman for the “Alliance for the Republic”, the party of President Macky Sall. “The Reform wants to strengthen the institutions and the rule of law and good governance.”
The trust?
What is the debate about the shortening of the term of office almost forgotten: In the case of the Referendum, it went to more essential points. The constitutional amendment also provides for a modernization of the Senegalese party system, the protection of the environment as a human right, strengthening the rights of citizens and the Opposition. However, the Referendum was also, says Andrea Kolb, “it has a negative connotation.”
2017 will be elected in Senegal, and a new Parliament. And 2019, Macky Sall is expected to compete in the next presidential election for a second term. Andrea Kolb is clear: “The coalition government must be set up now and again in order to their retention in the population to fight.” But for Rapper Thiat, the President has lost all confidence. “With this Referendum, he might even manage to get it to run for a third Time.” The did his predecessor, Abdoulaye Wade, after all.
Employees: Mamadou Lamine Bâ