Senegal parliamentary inquiry faces resistance from former ministers

Former ministers Moussa Baldé and Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo have both declined to appear before a Senegalese parliamentary commission of inquiry regarding the ‘One Student, One Computer’ program.

Moussa Baldé, a professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University and former minister, informed Commission President El Hadji Gueye that he will not attend the scheduled October 16 hearing. Baldé argued that the summons lacked necessary specifics regarding the facts, markets, or decisions to be discussed, citing parliamentary rules that require inquiries to focus on determined facts. He requested that the commission identify specific issues and provide supporting documents before an audition can take place.

Similarly, former minister Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo refused a summons for October 15 concerning the program’s guarantee fund involving Ecobank. Diallo criticized the summons for being vague and delivered via WhatsApp. He maintained that a rigorous inquiry requires clearly identified facts and prior access to incriminating documents. Furthermore, Diallo noted that official archives belong to the State rather than to former ministers personally, asserting that the commission should request such documents directly from the relevant administrations.