"Hérésie politique" : Cheikhou Oumar Sy recadre Arona Coumba Ndoffene Diouf
Arona Coumba Ndoffène Diouf's recent statements asserting that no head of state can develop Senegal in five years continue to provoke reactions. In a firm response, former member of parliament and president of the Observatory for Monitoring Development Indicators in Africa (OSIDEA), Cheikhou Oumar Sy, sought to reframe the debate by reiterating the fundamentals of public action and governance.
From the outset, the former parliamentarian offers a crucial clarification on the role and timing of executive power. “In reality, no one asks a President to ‘develop’ a country in a single term, whether it be five or seven years. Development is, by its very nature, a continuous process that unfolds over the long term,” he explains. He emphasizes, however, that a five-year term remains more than sufficient to initiate decisive changes: “It is entirely possible, in five years, to lay the solid foundations for sustainable development, provided one has a clear vision, inspiring leadership, and coherent public policies.”
For the president of OSIDEA, the length of the presidential term should not obscure the urgency of priority investments, foremost among them human capital. "The real challenge of development is first and foremost education," he emphasizes, before stressing that "development is not simply about building infrastructure. It consists primarily of building human capacity capable of creating wealth, innovating, and sustainably supporting national competitiveness."
Analyzing the effectiveness of institutions, Cheikhou Oumar Sy challenges the idea that extending the term of office guarantees better economic results. "On the contrary, prolonging a term in no way guarantees development. Without vision, without method, and without effective governance, seven years can be just as insufficient as five," he warns.
Speaking out against what he considers a political distraction at a time when the country is facing serious socio-economic challenges, the former member of parliament is unequivocal: “That is why reopening the debate on the length of the presidential term halfway through now appears to be a true political heresy and a waste of time.” According to him, “national energy must be devoted to implementing structural reforms rather than to institutional debates that risk diverting attention from the real priorities. The Senegalese people expect results, not discussions about how much time leaders have to produce them.”
In conclusion, Cheikhou Oumar Sy calls for a renewed focus on the role of the Head of State within a republican and intergenerational framework. "A President's responsibility is not to complete development in five years, but to lay sufficiently solid foundations for the Nation to continue its march towards prosperity," he concludes, recalling that "the true legacy of a Head of State is therefore measured neither in five nor seven years, but in the strength of the institutions he leaves behind, the quality of the human capital he has helped to cultivate, and the sustainable trajectory he has set for the country."
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