Senegalese Gov’t Lifts Travel Ban On Macky Sall!!!

….Former Senegalese National Assembly President In The US

By Gunjur Darboe, Our West Africa Bureau Chief In Dakar

The uncertainty over the political life of Macky Sall, a former President of the Senegalese National Assembly, had been laid to rest at least for now. Sall, also the leader of Apr/ Yaakaar, reportedly left the Senegalese capital this morning for the United States after his passport was returned to him yesterday. The Apr leader have had his passport seized after allegations of being involved in a money laundering scam. The Senegalese authorities however returned him the passport after it was declared by the procurer that the former prime minister was not guilty of any wrongdoing. He will, as part of his trip to the US, take part in a Breakfast party along with his party supporters.

According to media reports, the former National Assembly president has had some hitches at the Leopold Sedat Senghore International Airport this morning as the security on duty had insisted that they could allow him out only if they had an order from the top. He was however allowed out after the airport security personnel were informed that Sall could now enjoy an unfettered movement since he had been exonerated from the allegations.

Meanwhile, the latest twist to the political fortunes of Sall is now a subject of passionate discussion here in the Senegalese capital, Dakar. At bars, restaurants, vous, offices and in commuter vehicles, people continue to make their conclusions. To some, the recent allegations of impropriety against Sall was part of efforts in cleansing the Senegalese political stable of dirt whilst many see it a smart political game meticulously hatched to end Sall's political ambitions. Others see it a ploy to divert the attention of the Senegalese population from the economic downturn besetting the country.

Meanwhile, the prices of essential commodities are shooting through the roof whilst the buying power of consumers wane. For example, the prices of rice, vegetable oil are prohibitively high whilst many towns and villages in the country continue to experience an acute gas shortage that hit the country since last month. Long queues of anxious consumers could be seen at fuel stations, gas depots and other buying points but their exasperation continue to mount because there is not much gas for everyone to get.

Mamadou Diop Decroix, the Senegalese minister of commerce, blamed the shortage on intra-port trade. He accused businessmen of transporting gas, intended for consumption in Senegal, across geographies though he wasn't specific as to which destinations the gas is going. He however promised that the gas problem was just an event and will soon blow over. Be, as it may, the shortage is wreaking untold hardship on the population that depend heavily on gas for cooking and other house-hold purposes.