SENEGAL’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Thursday vowed investigations into what he termed “widespread corruption” under the previous administration, accusing it of having fiddled its financial figures.
“The policy of unbridled indebtedness (under former president Macky Sall) has led to the use of resources that is not transparent and that is conducive to widespread corruption,” he told journalists, denouncing the “embezzlement of public funds en masse”.
Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye swept to power in March on a pledge of radical change in the West African nation.
The pair ran on a ticket of social justice, sovereignty and leftist pan-Africanism — raising hopes in the country battling a high cost of living and widespread unemployment.
After being sworn in in April, Faye requested that Sonko conduct a thorough review of the country’s financial situation, with the stock-take’s conclusions shared on Thursday.
“We had no idea that things were so catastrophic,” Sonko said, accusing the former authorities of having lied and falsified figures, particularly with international partners.
“The Macky Sall administration lied to the people, lied to its partners, fiddled with the figures to give an economic and financial picture that had nothing to do with reality,” Sonko said.
“All those who played their part… will have to explain to the Senegalese people why and how they were able to plunge the country into this situation,” he added.
Besides former president Sall, Sonko pointed the finger at ex-prime minister Amadou Ba and two former finance ministers.
Also speaking at the press conference, Justice Minister Ousmane Diagne said the actions appeared to be “criminal in nature, which the competent judicial authorities will have to determine by means of investigations that they deem appropriate”.
Taking place weeks before snap parliamentary elections scheduled for November 17, Thursday’s press conference was the first held by the new government.
Faye in mid-September dissolved the opposition-dominated national assembly and called fresh legislative elections, banking on the move to implement his policy agenda.
