Senegal keeps falling into the same bad habit. Political leaders take revenge on each other instead of running the country well. This back-and-forth hurts everyone as rivals attack each other through courts and accusations. The nation struggles because officials focus more on fighting enemies than solving real problems.
Senegal once stood out as a shining example of African democracy. The country enjoyed peaceful power changes and steady politics for many years. But personal grudges between powerful people have taken over public life. These fights come from old rivalries, different beliefs, and battles to control the government.
President Abdoulaye Wade ruled from 2000 to 2012. During his time, his son Karim became very powerful. Many citizens viewed Karim as corrupt since he seemed ready to take his father's place someday. When Macky Sall won the next election, he went after Karim hard and put him in jail for stealing money.
Sall later pardoned Karim in 2016, but most people saw the entire case as political payback rather than honest justice. This action just made the hatred between the Sall and Wade families grow stronger. The pattern continued as President Sall presented himself as a reformer but then targeted his opponents.
Khalifa Sall, who served as mayor of Dakar, was locked up right before he could challenge President Sall in the 2019 election. The corruption charges seemed perfectly timed to remove a strong competitor from the race. Critics pointed out how President Sall used the courts to silence anyone who might threaten his power.
The president also cracked down on journalists who criticized him. Free speech suffered under his leadership as more opposition figures ended up behind bars. Then came Ousmane Sonko, a former tax official who gained massive popularity with young voters by promising to fight corruption.
Sonko faced rape accusations in 2021, just as his popularity surged before the 2024 elections. His supporters believed these charges were fake and designed to destroy his reputation. Protests exploded across Senegal when police arrested him. The government's response only convinced more people that revenge politics had replaced fair democracy.
After Sall left office, the new Diomaye Administration ramped up attacks against him and his allies. They accused the Sall family of corruption and illegal business deals. These endless accusations made the country even more divided as leaders focused on destroying each other instead of helping citizens.
This endless cycle of revenge hurts everyone in Senegal. People stop trusting courts when they see them used as weapons against political enemies. Society splits into angry groups as debate disappears and hatred grows. Most importantly, real issues like jobs, education, healthcare, and economic growth get ignored.
Senegal needs to break this destructive pattern if it wants to remain democratic and stable. Political leaders must put national interests ahead of personal battles. Courts should work fairly for everyone, regardless of political connections. Democracy depends on leaders who can disagree without trying to destroy each other.
Senegal once stood out as a shining example of African democracy. The country enjoyed peaceful power changes and steady politics for many years. But personal grudges between powerful people have taken over public life. These fights come from old rivalries, different beliefs, and battles to control the government.
President Abdoulaye Wade ruled from 2000 to 2012. During his time, his son Karim became very powerful. Many citizens viewed Karim as corrupt since he seemed ready to take his father's place someday. When Macky Sall won the next election, he went after Karim hard and put him in jail for stealing money.
Sall later pardoned Karim in 2016, but most people saw the entire case as political payback rather than honest justice. This action just made the hatred between the Sall and Wade families grow stronger. The pattern continued as President Sall presented himself as a reformer but then targeted his opponents.
Khalifa Sall, who served as mayor of Dakar, was locked up right before he could challenge President Sall in the 2019 election. The corruption charges seemed perfectly timed to remove a strong competitor from the race. Critics pointed out how President Sall used the courts to silence anyone who might threaten his power.
The president also cracked down on journalists who criticized him. Free speech suffered under his leadership as more opposition figures ended up behind bars. Then came Ousmane Sonko, a former tax official who gained massive popularity with young voters by promising to fight corruption.
Sonko faced rape accusations in 2021, just as his popularity surged before the 2024 elections. His supporters believed these charges were fake and designed to destroy his reputation. Protests exploded across Senegal when police arrested him. The government's response only convinced more people that revenge politics had replaced fair democracy.
After Sall left office, the new Diomaye Administration ramped up attacks against him and his allies. They accused the Sall family of corruption and illegal business deals. These endless accusations made the country even more divided as leaders focused on destroying each other instead of helping citizens.
This endless cycle of revenge hurts everyone in Senegal. People stop trusting courts when they see them used as weapons against political enemies. Society splits into angry groups as debate disappears and hatred grows. Most importantly, real issues like jobs, education, healthcare, and economic growth get ignored.
Senegal needs to break this destructive pattern if it wants to remain democratic and stable. Political leaders must put national interests ahead of personal battles. Courts should work fairly for everyone, regardless of political connections. Democracy depends on leaders who can disagree without trying to destroy each other.
