Khalifa Sall says he is consulting his base to decide on the call for dialogue launched by Macky Sall. In an interview granted to the journalist Pape Alé Niang, the leader of Taxawu Senegal declares that he is not a fan of the empty chair, taking an opposite view of the leader of the Pastef party, Ousmane Sonko.
Although he has not yet made a decision on the dialogue, Khalifa Sall nevertheless gave a clue, during an interview with journalist Pape Alé Ndiaye: « When I face Macky one-on-one, I will ask him why he changed.”
It must be said that Khalifa Sall already sees himself as President of the Republic of Senegal. The leader of Taxawu Senegaal has indeed positioned himself as a unifier without avoiding the issues of the day.
For the former mayor of Dakar, « resentment is weakness ». To this end, he announced that he “has nothing more to prove”. “And I am not in personal debates, nor in the settling of scores. That’s not Khalifa Sall. I embody the statesman, who will reconcile the Senegalese nation before rebuilding the country so that the Senegalese feel fully, totally and entirely Senegalese », he clearly answered the question of whether he will prosecute his « executioners ».
Questioned on the dialogue as well as the amnesty project, Khalifa Sall, wanted to be clear: “It is the President himself, who gave instructions in the Council of Ministers for an amnesty project. Political prisoners, sponsorship, the electoral process are questions, prerequisites to be put on the table before any dialogue. The internal consultation process is ongoing in Taxawu and the terms of reference for the dialogue are not yet known. Our little persons are insignificant in the face of the higher interest.
I abhor the empty chair, but I’m from Yaw
On the risks of an implosion of Yaw with the ambition of each member to be a candidate in 2024, Khalifa Sall sees the glass half full. “Yewwi askan wi is solid with a unique degree of complicity between respectable leaders. The plurality of applications is a great opportunity to brew broadly and we must brew broadly,” said Khalifa Sall.
By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn
- Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH
