Senegal Dissolves Senate Arm Of National Assembly To Save Cost

Senegalese lawmakers, who are divided between a 150-seat NationalAssembly and a 100-seat senate, voted to do away with the Senate, passing alaw, which dissolves the institution in order to save an estimated $15 million.

Minister of Justice Aminata Toure explained that the suppressionon Tuesday of the Senate is intended to curb government spending, and wouldprovide the cash needed to help the victims of the yearly rains, which haveleft thousands homeless and killed at least 13 people.

Unlike the National Assembly, the senate is a relatively recentinstitution, and has become a symbol of government waste.

It’s been frequently pilloried and described as an instrument of cronyism, away to reward loyal party workers who did not get elected to the largerNational Assembly. Around half the senators are directly appointed by thepresident.

Congress also voted to abolish the Office of the Vice-President,established in 2009 by then President Abdoulaye Wade, the BBC reports.