Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has defiantly dismissed a motion of censure put forward by the Benno Bokk Yaakaar (BBY) parliamentary majority, aimed at toppling his government. The motion, which was tabled on Tuesday, September 3, now sits on the desk of National Assembly Speaker Amadou Mame Diop, marking a significant escalation in the political standoff between the ruling coalition and the opposition.
Despite the mounting pressure, Prime Minister Sonko remains unfazed and boldly counterattacked, casting doubt on the future of the National Assembly. “I can reassure you that there is no motion of censure, because by September 12, these people will have other things to do than be deputies in the National Assembly,” Sonko stated confidently during a meeting at the prime minister’s office.
The opposition motion comes on the heels of the National Assembly’s rejection of a constitutional bill that sought to abolish the High Council of Local Authorities (HCCT) and the Economic, Social, and Environmental Council (CESE). The opposition, emboldened by this legislative victory, is now seeking to bring down the government, which was installed less than four months ago. However, achieving this goal will be no small feat; in Senegal’s history, only one motion of censure has ever succeeded.
According to Article 86 of the Senegalese Constitution, a motion of censure, if adopted by a majority, would compel the government to resign. The tabling of this motion triggers the convening of an extraordinary session of the National Assembly, the third such session this year, following earlier debates on modifying internal regulations and the ill-fated bill to dissolve the HCCT and CESE.
Prime Minister Sonko, however, signaled that the looming threat posed by the parliamentary majority might be short-lived. His remarks suggest that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye could dissolve the legislature within the next week, effectively neutralizing the motion of censure.
In a related development, Sonko announced that the presidents of the CESE, Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo, and the HCCT, Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye, would be dismissed imminently. “This is what justified the proposal to dissolve a certain number of institutions whose relevance is questionable,” Sonko explained. He further revealed that President Faye would likely issue decrees as early as this evening to formally remove these officials and halt the financial operations of their respective institutions.
The political landscape in Senegal is poised for a dramatic shift as this power struggle between Prime Minister Sonko and the BBY majority unfolds. The potential dissolution of the legislature adds an unpredictable element to the crisis, setting the stage for what could be a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.
