[Billet d’humour] Diomaye Président : Mbour, le test qui interroge
In Mbour this weekend, the “Diomaye Président” coalition primarily wanted to send a message: to demonstrate its political existence independently of Pastef. It was a subtle way of telling the public: “We too have activists, leaders, transport buses… and even printed T-shirts.” Because in Senegal, whenever a coalition organizes a rally, it’s never just a demonstration; it’s a political DNA test.
Fortunately for him, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye didn't make the trip. He preferred to send a video. Visionary! Because when things get slippery, it's best to stay on screen. At least in a video, no one can film the gaps in the crowd.
The most ironic thing about this whole affair is that the intention was to pay tribute to Diomaye… but the meeting ended up becoming a political demonstration that far exceeded its initial purpose. Yes, because in Senegalese politics, there are gatherings that warm hearts, and others that only heat up the VIP tent.
Some fill the avenues; others the protocol lists.
This meeting served as a stark reminder of a harsh truth. Mayors and local elected officials are not apps that can be downloaded to automatically grant them solid political legitimacy. Having political leaders without a grassroots base is like having a minibus without an engine: lots of noise, but nobody ever gets to Dakar.
And then there was this whiff of political recycling. We saw a parade of faces who had outlived Abdou Diouf, weathered Wade, resisted Macky Sall… and who now want to be reborn with Diomaye. In Senegal, some politicians never retire; they just change their robes and slogans.
To say that even if President Diomaye Faye has not yet clearly stated his intention to seek the Senegalese people's vote again, if that were to be the case, he would absolutely have to negotiate with his "brother" and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, and this under the banner of Pastef.
The problem is that the Senegalese people love novelty, or at least novelty that pretends to be novelty. However, when a meeting resembles a gathering of veterans reminiscing about their campaigns, the youth look elsewhere… often towards the one who still knows how to transform a simple caravan into a popular tidal wave.
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