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By CCTV Desire Kanon
Heavy flooding in Senegal has prompted the country to abolish the Senate, in order to divert funds to disaster relief. But critics say the main aim is to weaken the political opposition, as most of the senators were supporters of the ex-president.
The Senegalese Congress has voted to abolish the Senate in order to save money for flood victims due to the heavy rains that left 13 people dead and more than thousand displaced. Senegal President Macky Sall says the money spent on the upper house, about $15million will also go towards preventing further flooding. The 100 senators had fought to retain their position, but lost the vote in the joint session of parliament. Controversy around the abolishment of the senate in Senegal is still in the center of debates.
Aida Mbodji, opposition MP, said, "We have already started working with the senate. We had attempted to abolish it but maintained in the end. I think that the senate is today an institutional structure that we have already experienced and it contributes to the strengthening of democracy. Today, all democratic countries in the world including Senegal look forward to the bicameralism and we already have it. I think it is a step backwards for Senegal democracy to try to suppress the senate through false pretences."
Sall Aissata, MP, said, "It is not surprising to see the opposition react this way. They are within their rights to think that anytime the government takes actions, it is against their interests. I think that the opposition is surely backing here the wrong horse because the President Macky Sall has explained in a national movement, why he abolished the senate. But if the opposition wants to combat this, it will have to deal with the population. I am for the abolishment of this senate but I long for the creation of another one, a genuine one that will fully play its role of legislator."
Mamadou Lamine Diallo, MP, said, "The opposition is already weakened by the defeat of Abdoulaye Wade. The fact is that the senate is not popular. It cots around five to seven billion CFA Francs which is a lot for Senegalese people nowadays. As I said, we do not see the value at it; we have to fight at the national assembly, to operate at the national assembly. That is one of our missions today to make it more efficient and to be able to control the government. And for that, we do not see why we will have hundred people who basically are nominated by the President. Even in that case, fifty five of the senate will be nominated by President Macky Sall. These people cannot have the same legitimacy as the people who are in the parliament."
For President Sall, the relief of the suffering of the Senegalese people is more important than the Senate. But the opposition claims that the government could use other sources of incomes to address the flood issue and save the senate.
中国公众网摘编：GAN JADE |
