Senegal’s parliament addresses legal concerns over inquiry commissions
The opening of the first extraordinary session of the 2026-2027 legislative year in the National Assembly saw President Ousmane Sonko address pressing questions regarding the legality of six planned parliamentary inquiry commissions, including highly sensitive cases.
Addressing lawmakers, the National Assembly President clarified the legal framework governing such initiatives: “The law explicitly states that parliament cannot establish a commission of inquiry into cases already under judicial review,” he stated. He further confirmed having personally verified this compliance with the Minister of Justice, adding: “The Minister responded last week that, of the five cases in question, only one—the land management case around Dakar’s former airport—is currently under judicial examination.”
Parliament’s agenda: eleven legislative texts and six inquiry commissions
The session, limited to fifteen days by Organic Law No. 2025-11 of August 18, 2025, will review eleven legislative texts, including two private member bills, three government bills, and six requests to establish parliamentary inquiry commissions. Key topics include:
- Land management around Dakar’s former airport
- The “One Student, One Laptop” program
- Revenue losses and tax exemptions
- Conditions for issuing fishing licenses
These commissions aim to scrutinize governance practices in critical sectors, prompting debates over transparency and accountability in public administration.
