VZCZCXRO8853
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #0584/01 1271529
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071529Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2368
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000584 
 
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E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINS KDEM ECON SG
SUBJECT: Senegal: A Cabinet Reshuffle for political revenge 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On April 30, President Wade appointed Souleymane 
Ndene Ndiaye as the new Prime Minister.  The highlight of the Ndiaye 
cabinet is the creation of a super Ministry of International 
Cooperation, Air Transportation, Infrastructure and Land Use 
tailored for the President's son, Karim Wade.  This move is a clear 
political response to the ruling party's local election defeat.  The 
President also fired 31 advisers and three ministers from his 
entourage to satisfy the people's demand for a concrete reduction in 
the cost of government. End Summary. 
 
A New Prime Minister 
-------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The new Prime Minister is a 51-year old lawyer and was the 
Minister of Maritime Economy in the previous cabinet.  He is close 
to President Wade and was his Cabinet Director, a position with 
inherent power and prestige in the President's inner circle.  He has 
a reputation of being firm but fair.  Ironically, two months ago his 
Chief of Staff told Embassy that they had already cleaned their 
desks in anticipation of Ndiaye being fired after the March 
elections as Ndiaye was the only senior leader in the Democratic 
Party of Senegal (PDS) who had publicly said that he would not 
follow the President's son Karim, whom he saw as "a kid."  Ndiaye is 
one of the few senior PDS barons who managed to win in his 
constituency in the local elections.  With his appointment Wade 
solves several problems.  Ndiaye has a strong enough character to 
lead the political charge against an opposition buoyed by its recent 
victory.  His appointment also creates a powerful political figure 
to regain control of the center of the country, (the Kaolack, 
Diourbel and Fatick areas); a huge electoral basin lost by the 
ruling party.  Ndiaye is also known as an opponent of Idrissa Seck, 
and his presence can thus reassure those who fear a Seck return. 
 
A Political Combat Group 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) The 32 members of this Cabinet are all political 
heavyweights, who have been tasked with the mission to re-establish 
the leadership of the ruling party and contain opposition mayors who 
won the country's major cities.  Ultra-hawk Cheikh Tidiane Sy 
remains a Senior Minister and first in Protocol rank despite his 
loss in his hometown of Saint-Louis and his rather poor 
implementation of the PDS's election strategy.  His re-appointment 
as Minister of Interior with enhanced responsibilities for local 
government leaves no doubt that Wade is gearing up for war with the 
opposition.  Also On April 5, the former Minister of Mines Ousmane 
Ngom, an old time satrap who knows where all the skeletons are 
buried and an avowed enemy of Idrissa Seck, made a not so surprise 
return to his old position. 
 
Work in Progress 
---------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) This new cabinet is the first chapter in Wade's latest 
political offensive.  Although he made peace with Idrissa Seck, who 
dissolved his party REWMI, the latter's camp is not represented in 
the cabinet.  But, two days before appointing the new Prime Minister 
a "miracle" occurred when the High Court of Justice convened to 
clear Seck of all charges of embezzling funds while he was Prime 
Minister.  Now that he is free from prosecution, Seck told the press 
that his sole ambition is to become the fourth President of Senegal, 
and Wade may be the key to that dream becoming reality.  Last week, 
the Council of Ministers also approved a Constitutional amendment to 
create the position of Vice President. 
 
Not Mayor but Co-Prime Minister 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The cabinet reshuffle has created two poles of power within 
the government as the ministry that the President has given his son 
makes him an obvious center of gravity in the State.  Land Use will 
give Karim the power to orientate the country's policy in all 
sectors, as any major construction projects will need his blessing 
and fit his master plan.  It is also a position that will give him 
power to see what is going on in other ministries and in local 
governments' projects.  Additionally, being in charge of 
International Cooperation means that both the Ministers of Foreign 
Affairs and Economy and Finance will have to work closely with him, 
if not for him, in all major foreign deals involving the State. 
 
COMMENT 
-------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The cabinet reshuffle and the firing of some 34 advisers 
shows that Wade has heard the voters but that he continues to think 
he knows better.  He has once again chosen to focus on politics when 
people want him to address their basic needs.  The Cabinet is still 
too large and compartmentalized at the expense of efficiency. 
Although the Senegalese people clearly rejected his plan to have his 
 
DAKAR 00000584  002 OF 002 
 
 
son succeed him, he has used his power to give him the springboard 
that voters had denied him.  The coexistence of a Prime Minister, a 
Super Minister (Karim), a Vice President and the President of the 
Republic will create multiple centers of power and in all likelihood 
generate political conflicts and gridlock.  For his part, Karim has 
two years to rebuild his image and win the hearts of the people if 
he is to govern in peace in the event he succeeds his father. 
Bernicat