Senegal: A Cabinet Reshuffle for political revenge

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SUBJECT: Senegal: A Cabinet Reshuffle for political revenge


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 30, President Wade appointed Souleymane
Ndene Ndiaye as the new Prime Minister. The highlight of the Ndiaye
cabinet is the creation of a super Ministry of International
Cooperation, Air Transportation, Infrastructure and Land Use
tailored for the President's son, Karim Wade. This move is a clear
political response to the ruling party's local election defeat. The
President also fired 31 advisers and three ministers from his
entourage to satisfy the people's demand for a concrete reduction in
the cost of government. End Summary.

A New Prime Minister
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2. (SBU) The new Prime Minister is a 51-year old lawyer and was the
Minister of Maritime Economy in the previous cabinet. He is close
to President Wade and was his Cabinet Director, a position with
inherent power and prestige in the President's inner circle. He has
a reputation of being firm but fair. Ironically, two months ago his
Chief of Staff told Embassy that they had already cleaned their
desks in anticipation of Ndiaye being fired after the March
elections as Ndiaye was the only senior leader in the Democratic
Party of Senegal (PDS) who had publicly said that he would not
follow the President's son Karim, whom he saw as "a kid." Ndiaye is
one of the few senior PDS barons who managed to win in his
constituency in the local elections. With his appointment Wade
solves several problems. Ndiaye has a strong enough character to
lead the political charge against an opposition buoyed by its recent
victory. His appointment also creates a powerful political figure
to regain control of the center of the country, (the Kaolack,
Diourbel and Fatick areas); a huge electoral basin lost by the
ruling party. Ndiaye is also known as an opponent of Idrissa Seck,
and his presence can thus reassure those who fear a Seck return.

A Political Combat Group
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3. (SBU) The 32 members of this Cabinet are all political
heavyweights, who have been tasked with the mission to re-establish
the leadership of the ruling party and contain opposition mayors who
won the country's major cities. Ultra-hawk Cheikh Tidiane Sy
remains a Senior Minister and first in Protocol rank despite his
loss in his hometown of Saint-Louis and his rather poor
implementation of the PDS's election strategy. His re-appointment
as Minister of Interior with enhanced responsibilities for local
government leaves no doubt that Wade is gearing up for war with the
opposition. Also On April 5, the former Minister of Mines Ousmane
Ngom, an old time satrap who knows where all the skeletons are
buried and an avowed enemy of Idrissa Seck, made a not so surprise
return to his old position.

Work in Progress
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4. (SBU) This new cabinet is the first chapter in Wade's latest
political offensive. Although he made peace with Idrissa Seck, who
dissolved his party REWMI, the latter's camp is not represented in
the cabinet. But, two days before appointing the new Prime Minister
a "miracle" occurred when the High Court of Justice convened to
clear Seck of all charges of embezzling funds while he was Prime
Minister. Now that he is free from prosecution, Seck told the press
that his sole ambition is to become the fourth President of Senegal,
and Wade may be the key to that dream becoming reality. Last week,
the Council of Ministers also approved a Constitutional amendment to
create the position of Vice President.

Not Mayor but Co-Prime Minister
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5. (SBU) The cabinet reshuffle has created two poles of power within
the government as the ministry that the President has given his son
makes him an obvious center of gravity in the State. Land Use will
give Karim the power to orientate the country's policy in all
sectors, as any major construction projects will need his blessing
and fit his master plan. It is also a position that will give him
power to see what is going on in other ministries and in local
governments' projects. Additionally, being in charge of
International Cooperation means that both the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs and Economy and Finance will have to work closely with him,
if not for him, in all major foreign deals involving the State.

COMMENT
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6. (SBU) The cabinet reshuffle and the firing of some 34 advisers
shows that Wade has heard the voters but that he continues to think
he knows better. He has once again chosen to focus on politics when
people want him to address their basic needs. The Cabinet is still
too large and compartmentalized at the expense of efficiency.
Although the Senegalese people clearly rejected his plan to have his

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son succeed him, he has used his power to give him the springboard
that voters had denied him. The coexistence of a Prime Minister, a
Super Minister (Karim),a Vice President and the President of the
Republic will create multiple centers of power and in all likelihood
generate political conflicts and gridlock. For his part, Karim has
two years to rebuild his image and win the hearts of the people if
he is to govern in peace in the event he succeeds his father.
Bernicat