By Enyichukwu Enemanna
In a major cabinet shake-up, Senegal’s government has replaced the justice and interior ministers, assuring a “government of commitment and combat” as the West African nation makes efforts to resuscitate the economy.
The reshuffle, made public late Saturday comes amid signs of strained relations between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko.
They both pledged change after taking office last year, alleging financial mismanagement by the President Macky Sall that they succeeded.
But critics say they have not moved fast enough to restore confidence in the government and tackle massive government debt and poverty in the West African nation.
“This will not be some village government but a government of commitment and combat. Working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, given the situation we have inherited,” Sonko said in a televised interview.
Yassine Fall, previously foreign minister, will take over as justice minister from Ousmane Diagne, a judge widely deemed an independent, who joined the cabinet shortly after Faye’s election.
Sonko said Fall’s task was “to reconcile with the Senegalese and win back their trust.”
Critics have accused officials of moving too slowly on investigations of alleged crimes under Sall, including violent crackdowns on opposition protests starting in 2021 in which dozens of people were killed and opposition figures, including Faye and Sonko arrested.
Sonko in August unveiled an economic recovery plan based on a shift toward greater domestic funding to raise money and cut debt.
The country is struggling with an unemployment rate that has hit 20 percent, while 36 percent of the population lives in poverty, government figures indicate.
