Rédaction Africa Links 24 with pierre Dieme
Published on 2024-03-01 10:45:28
A daunting task, even a real challenge, to organize a presidential election in the unique secular country that is Senegal! It’s like squaring the circle. In this country like no other, where things are never done like anywhere else, the republican agenda must therefore not only submit to the schedule of the Muslim religion but also to those, numerous, of the Islamic brotherhoods and families.
For instance, in order to set the date for the presidential election, it was necessary to ensure that the electoral campaign did not take place during Ramadan, taking into account Korité, Tabaski, Maouloud, the countless celebrations and gatherings of religious families. And also to make sure not to encroach on the rainy season during which farmers are in the fields while schools, which house most of the voting centers and polling stations, are vacated by flood victims.
In this peculiar secular country, the State is one of the main builders of mosques and one of the flagship programs of the President of the Republic is precisely the one called the modernization of religious cities. And yet one of the founding principles of secularism is that the State does not build or pay for any religion! Another republican principle violated by our secular State: the equal rights of citizens that any State is supposed to respect.
However, our State, by taking special care to avoid offending certain brotherhoods in setting the date for the presidential election, does not show the same concern for the followers of the main religion that we are, us animists. Yes, for us where every day is sacred, all periods of the year being dedicated to worshiping our khambs, pangols, sacred woods, and other nature deities.
It is therefore time for this State that bows down to the leaders of brotherhoods to the point of prioritizing their religious events over those of the republican calendar, to learn to respect us animists as well. Otherwise, beware of our sanction votes or our khondioms! KACCOOR BI – THE WITNESS
Read the original article(French) on Dakar Matin
