Kory
Ndiaye, one of the 15 representatives of the diaspora into the Senegalese
national assembly, has described the just concluded parliamentary elections in
Senegal as easy.
He
was elected as a candidate of Benno Boka Yakarr coalition led by incumbent
President Macky Sall. The coalition
secured 125 of the 165 parliamentary seats in the elections.
“It
was an easy contest for the coalition party,” Mr Ndiaye said in an interview
with The Point. “President Macky Sall has worked for the [Senegalese] people to
trust him, which is why anyone he recommends to the population is given
honourable treatment.”
Ndiaye,
meanwhile, secured 2,597 votes while the opposition secured 1,390 votes. He will be representing the Senegalese
community in the diaspora in the national assembly even though he is based in
The Gambia.
It
is the first time the Senegalese diaspora has representative in their country’s
national assembly. Mr Ndiaye, who engages in exporting of fish to Europe, is
also the head of fishermen in The Gambia before joining politics.
Among
the issues he will be advocating for at the national assembly is the
establishment of hospitals, ensuring that there are people who stand for
Senegalese nationals when they clash with the law in The Gambia, and
facilitating the repatriation of bodies of Senegalese who die in The Gambia.
He
also said the Senegalese in The Gambia face constraints in accessing hospitals
when they fall sick. Ndiaye therefore sees the need to work on that.
“The
Gambia and Senegal are separated by colonial masters but we are one people and
unity is our strength,” he said, but was quick to add that “when we are
divided, we fall.”
He
recalled that when President Sall was elected, The Gambia was among the first
two countries he visited, signifying the relations between Senegal and The
Gambia.
According
to him, there is no older party than Benno Boka Yakarr in the history of
Senegal, saying the secret behind this milestone is because it is built on
truth and trustworthiness.
He
said further that this is what Sall taught them as candidates seeking mandates
from the population and that was what they applied during the recent
parliamentary elections.
He
expressed his readiness to continue to serve Senegalese around the world to
ensure their needs are met.
