afrol News, 21 April - Senegalese Prime Minister Idrissa Seck and his government have been dismissed by President Abdoulaye Wade without further explanation. Outgoing Interior Minister Macky Sall is to take over the post. The step follows reports of growing tension between Mr Seck and President Wade during the last months.

New Prime Minister Sall, a 42-year-old engineer and geologist, is holding central leadership positions in President Wade's ruling Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS). As a loyal party technocrat, Mr Sall has slowly climbed the ladder, recently advancing from the position of Mayor in the central town of Fatick, to Minister of Natural Resources (2001) and Interior Minister in November 2002.

Incoming Prime Minister Sall made a large point of his loyalty to President Wade when meeting the press in Dakar earlier today. As "a follower of the President," who had taught him the art of politics, he emphasised his "fidelity". Mr Sall added that he now was to ask the President to advise him on the composition of the new government.

Also Prime Minister Seck, when he was appointed in November 2002, had emphasised his loyalty to President Wade. Mr Seck held and holds the office of Vice-President of the PDS party and has been the private secretary of President Wade. In 2002, he was known to have the full trust of the Head of State.

During the last months, however, reports of rivalry between the 44-year-old Prime Minister and the 77-year-old President have emerged. Senegalese media had also started speculating on Mr Seck's ambitions regarding the succession of the aging President.

Outgoing Prime Minister Seck today nevertheless did his utmost to demonstrate unity in the PDS party when he met the press in Dakar today. Mr Seck said he fully backed the President, but admitted it had been necessary "to restore unity in the decision-making seat of our constitution." The powers of the Presidency and the government had pulled in different directions.

Meanwhile, incoming Prime Minister Sall further demonstrated his humility. While praising the work of Mr Seck, Mr Sall said he himself was "a man of action, a technician," who aimed at "giving shape to the vision of the Head of the State."

Mr Seck made similar statements, regarding the fulfilment of Mr Wade's policies, when he was chosen to head the Senegalese government in November 2002. He did not start the work with the same degree of humility as Mr Sall, however, and immediately started taking care of composing a new government on his own. Mr Sall, on the contrary, today strongly indicated that President Wade would play a central role in choosing candidates for the new government.

Mr Sall will be Senegal's fourth Prime Minister since President Wade came to power in 2000. The outgoing Prime Minister was asked to take over from Mame Madior Boye - Senegal's first female Prime Minister - after several financial scandals and the Joola ferry accident, where around 1000 persons lost their lives. Ms Boye had been in office since March 2001.

By staff writers

© afrol News

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