Senegal
Senegalese president, Macky Sall on Tuesday signed a decree that officially abolished the post of Prime Minister.
“The President of the Republic today promulgated the constitutional law abolishing the post of Prime Minister”, adopted on May 4 by a very large majority of deputies, says a government statement.
The scrapping of the prime minister’s post was initiated by the president at the start of his second term mandate in April which has proven very divisive.
on May 4 , Senegalese parliamentarians approved a constitutional reform which called for the abolition of the post of Prime Minister.
124 mps voted in favour of the reform with only seven against while, 7 others abstained.
Supporters of the reform argue the abolition of the prime minister’s position will help the president to work faster in fulfilling his campaign promises. These include the creation of one million jobs and the construction of more than 100,000 houses in 5 years .
But critics say it is a ploy by the president to wield more powers adding it is an affront to democracy in the country.
Senegal, which is a democratic model in Africa, scrapped the post of Prime Minister in the 1960s under the presidency of Léopold Sédar Senghor and in the early 1980s under the presidency of Abdou Diouf.
02:35
Women rights activists react to DRC first female PM
01:24
Senegal: Supporters celebrate Diomaye Faye's inauguration
01:14
Senegal: President Diomaye Faye appoints Ousmane Sonko as prime minister
00:38
Senegal swears in former opposition figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye
01:22
Senegal: All you need to know about the April 2nd presidential inauguration
00:35
Senegal’s top court confirms Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s election victory