AA/ Dakar/ Alioune Ndiaye
In a decree published Friday evening, the prefect of Dakar, Mor Talla Tine, prohibited the organization of the pan-African concert for the limitation to two of the presidential mandates in Africa, which was to be held Saturday in a hotel in Dakar.
Initiated by civil society organizations as part of a citizen awareness campaign for the limitation of presidential terms, the show was to record the presence of eleven African artists from seven countries.
“The chosen site does not present all the security guarantees for an event of such a dimension which will see the participation of a dozen artists and hundreds of spectators”, motivated the prefect of Dakar in his note to the organizers.
An incomprehensible decision for the organizers. “It is with great regret that we announce the cancellation of the concert,” said Marc Ona Essangui, president of the organization “Tournons la page” on Saturday, one of the initiators of the show.
“After Benin and Botswana where the campaign was a great success, we regret that Senegal did not take up the challenge,” said Alioune Tine of the think tank “Afrikajom Center”, another entity among the initiators.
“We carried out similar initiatives in Benin, in the presence of President Patrice Talon, and in Botswana with the support of President Mokgweetsi Masisi. We are therefore surprised,” he noted in his statement to the media.
“It’s really a big disappointment. If we chose to come to Senegal to organize this concert it is because Senegal is a great tradition and a democratic reference in Africa. Of course, we are totally surprised by this decision, which leaves us perplexed,” insisted David Dosseh, another member of the think tank.
“Our campaign does not stop there. In the coming weeks, the artists will launch the music video for the official song of the citizen campaign for the limitation of mandates,” promised Ona Essangui.
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