A new call for accountability: Senegal’s prime minister ousmane sonko expresses doubts over justice system
In Senegal, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko convened an interministerial council on Thursday, May 21st, where he voiced profound frustration regarding the management of various public sector files. During this session, the head of government strongly reiterated his accusations that the preceding Macky Sall administration engaged in large-scale prevarication and mismanagement.
“The sheer scale of these facts defies belief,” Sonko stated following the presentation of an audit detailing public assets and infrastructure. An inventory compiled by the Primature revealed that 245 infrastructure projects and strategic assets are currently either stalled, unfinished, or severely underutilized. The total financial implication of these failures is estimated to exceed 5,000 billion FCFA, a sum equivalent to Senegal’s entire annual budget. “Some even suggest this amount corresponds to our national public debt (…) it is nothing short of pure and simple waste,” the Prime Minister lambasted.
Another alarming discovery highlighted that out of 94 construction sites presently active across the nation, a significant 62 have effectively ceased operations. These dormant projects have already consumed over 5,227 billion FCFA. The specific instance of the Sandiara high school, which commenced construction in 2014 and remains incomplete, reportedly “shocked” Sonko. “Twelve years to build a high school is an absolute aberration,” he declared with exasperation.
Ousmane Sonko’s stance on accountability
The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to criticize the judiciary, asserting that it provides protection for powerful “barons” from the former regime, who are allegedly responsible for embezzling public funds.
“At times, I find myself plagued by doubts. I question whether it is truly worthwhile to persist,” Ousmane Sonko confessed. “In this country, it appears one can commit virtually any transgression and still benefit from robust protection. The system remains fundamentally unchanged.” He even hinted at the existence of suspected “judicial sabotage” in which certain magistrates might be implicated. “These dossiers do not belong to the magistrates; they belong to the people,” he firmly stated, before threatening to “raise the tone” on these matters in the coming weeks.
“The sheer scale of these facts defies belief,” Sonko stated following the presentation of an audit detailing public assets and infrastructure. An inventory compiled by the Primature revealed that 245 infrastructure projects and strategic assets are currently either stalled, unfinished, or severely underutilized. The total financial implication of these failures is estimated to exceed 5,000 billion FCFA, a sum equivalent to Senegal’s entire annual budget. “Some even suggest this amount corresponds to our national public debt (…) it is nothing short of pure and simple waste,” the Prime Minister lambasted.
Another alarming discovery highlighted that out of 94 construction sites presently active across the nation, a significant 62 have effectively ceased operations. These dormant projects have already consumed over 5,227 billion FCFA. The specific instance of the Sandiara high school, which commenced construction in 2014 and remains incomplete, reportedly “shocked” Sonko. “Twelve years to build a high school is an absolute aberration,” he declared with exasperation.
Ousmane Sonko’s stance on accountability
The Prime Minister also took the opportunity to criticize the judiciary, asserting that it provides protection for powerful “barons” from the former regime, who are allegedly responsible for embezzling public funds.
“At times, I find myself plagued by doubts. I question whether it is truly worthwhile to persist,” Ousmane Sonko confessed. “In this country, it appears one can commit virtually any transgression and still benefit from robust protection. The system remains fundamentally unchanged.” He even hinted at the existence of suspected “judicial sabotage” in which certain magistrates might be implicated. “These dossiers do not belong to the magistrates; they belong to the people,” he firmly stated, before threatening to “raise the tone” on these matters in the coming weeks.