Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR) – In Senegal, the gendarmerie has, on Friday evening, released two senior journalists, Pape Moussa Traoré and Mohamed Guèye, who serve as managing editors of La Tribune and Le Quotidien, respectively. Security sources indicate that their detention follows the publication of articles regarding an alleged rift between Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and General Souleymane Kandé, the Chief of Staff of the Senegalese Army. This dispute reportedly led to General Kandé’s reassignment to a military attaché position in India.
Pape Moussa Traoré was summoned on Thursday and subsequently placed in custody on Friday by the Senegalese gendarmerie’s research section in Dakar. Traoré’s recent story on the redeployment of General Kandé, which suggested a fallout with Prime Minister Sonko, is believed to have led to his arrest.
Following Traoré’s detention, Mohamed Guèye was also summoned and detained on Friday morning. Le Quotidien, Guèye’s newspaper, reported on its Twitter page that his troubles likely stem from recent publications questioning the circumstances of General Kandé’s redeployment to India.
The articles that triggered these actions reveal tensions within Senegal’s government. Prime Minister Sonko had requested the military general staff to revise cooperation agreements with France, the US, Canada, and Great Britain.
However, the Cooperation Division of the Senegalese Armed Forces General Staff, led by General Kandé, resisted, citing constitutional limitations on the Prime Minister’s authority over military agreements. General Kandé’s response, which did not align with Sonko’s directives, reportedly led to his reassignment, according to both La Tribune and Le Quotidien.
The brief arrest of these journalists has sparked widespread reactions in Senegal. Madiambal Diagne, the owner of Le Quotidien, expressed his support for Guèye and his editorial team, stating, “I extend my support to Mohamed Guèye and the entire editorial team of Le Quotidien. I renew my confidence in my managing editor. I’m going to return to Dakar. No doubt they wouldn’t need to arrest Mr. Guèye alone.”
Former Prime Minister Abdoul Mbaye also criticized the arrests on social media, questioning the necessity of detaining journalists who are protecting their sources. He emphasized the importance of protecting the outcomes of previous political efforts and warned against unnecessary tensions.
Additionally, Babacar Gaye, a former minister under Abdoulaye Wade, criticized Prime Minister Sonko in an op-ed, arguing that Sonko must respect the constitution and the limits of his power, particularly concerning military affairs. Gaye highlighted that Sonko should not attempt to overstep his role without broader constitutional or parliamentary support.
As the situation unfolds, the arrests of Pape Moussa Traoré and Mohamed Guèye continue to raise concerns about press freedom and governmental transparency in Senegal.
