Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday condemned Western “tyranny” in wanting to “impose” homosexuality and rejected any attempt to stop the application of a new law toughening sentences for same-sex relations.
LGBTQ issues have stirred controversy in Muslim-majority Senegal in recent years and gay rights advocacy is frequently denounced as a tool used by Westerners to impose foreign values.
Late March, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed into law legislation doubling the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, amid a crackdown on the country’s gay community.
“There are eight billion human beings in the world, but there is a small nucleus called the West which, because it has resources and controls the media, wants to impose it (homosexuality) on the rest of the world,” Sonko said in an address to lawmakers in the west African country.
The new law punishes “acts against nature”, a term used to signify same-sex relations, by five to 10 years’ imprisonment, compared with one to five years previously.
It also provides for three to seven years in prison for those found guilty of promoting or financing same-sex relationships.
Sonko, before becoming Senegal’s highly influential prime minister in 2024, had promised to make same-sex relations a crime, upping the offence from its previous classification as misdemeanour.
AFP
- Guardiola to leave Manchester City
Category: Sport
Source: DP
Excerpt: Man City coach Pep Guardiola has revealed that exhaustion and the need for a fresh challenge influenced his decision to leave Manchester City after a historic 10-year spell in charge.
Image idea: Guardiola
Man City coach Pep Guardiola has revealed that exhaustion and the need for a fresh challenge influenced his decision to leave Manchester City after a historic 10-year spell in charge.
Guardiola confirmed that Sunday’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa will be his final match as City manager, bringing an end to one of the most successful eras in the club’s history.
During his decade at the Etihad Stadium, the Spaniard guided City to 20 trophies, including six Premier League titles and the club’s first UEFA Champions League triumph.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday, Guardiola said he believes the team now needs “new energy” to continue progressing.
“I think the club needs a new manager, new energy with these incredible players that we have right now, and you start to write another chapter,” he said.
The 55-year-old admitted that the relentless demands of modern football had taken a toll on him after nearly two decades of constant management.
“I feel I will not have the energy that is required, every three days, the expectations to fight for the titles, with being in front of the players,” Guardiola explained.
Although he will remain linked with the City Football Group in a global ambassadorial role, Guardiola said he plans to step away from coaching for a period.
“I will not train for a while,” he stated.
Guardiola reflected on the intensity of his managerial career, which began at Barcelona before continuing at Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
“It’s not 10 years. I’ve been, except for a year in New York, I’ve been 17, 18 years, every three days, three days, three days,” he said.
“I need to breathe a little bit and relax. I’ll be a while, that is my feeling right now.”
Guardiola leaves Manchester City widely regarded as the most successful manager in the club’s history after transforming the side into a dominant force in English and European football.
The PUNCH