Amath Dansokho

Amath Dansokho is a Senegalese politician. He took over as the General Secretary of the Party of Independence and Work (PIT) following the death of Seydou Cissokho. He is also the mayor of Kédougou.

Dansokho served in the government as Minister of Urban Planning and Housing from April 1991 to September 1995. [ [http://www.muat.gouv.sn/AnciensMinistres.php List of former ministers of urban planning] , Ministère de l'Urbanisme et de l'Aménagement du Territoire.] He supported opposition candidate Abdoulaye Wade in the 2000 presidential election, [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/senegal/senegalpol/presidentielle2000.htm "Election présidentielle du 27 février 2000 - Le pays semble être à un tournant de son histoire"] , Afrique-express.com fr icon.] and after Wade's victory he was named Minister of Urban Planning and Housing in the new government formed in April 2000. [ [http://www.afrique-express.com/archive/OUEST/senegal/senegalgvts/senegalgvt030420000.htm "Le gouvernement du Sénégal formé le 3 avril 2000"] , Afrique-express.com fr icon.] However, he became critical of Wade and was dismissed from the government in November 2000, [ [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=86&art_id=qw1110458701235B252 "Senegal's president sacks key leftist members"] , AFP ("IOL"), March 10, 2005.] Ambroise Ebonda, [http://www.lemessager.net/details_articles.php?code=29&code_art=4861&numero=1 "Wade brise l’aile gauche du Sopi"] , "Le Messager", Journal N° 1837, March 14, 2005 fr icon.] becoming the first of Wade's leftist allies from the 2000 election to be jettisoned.

Dansokho was the only PIT candidate to be elected to the National Assembly in the 2001 parliamentary election. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20030422183021/http://www.gouv.sn/institutions/liste_deputes.cfm List of deputies] (2003 archive page) fr icon.] He also served as the Eighth Vice-President of the National Assembly during the parliamentary term that followed the election. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20020811142013/http://www.gouv.sn/institutions/assemblee_bureau.cfm List of members of the bureau of the National Assembly] (2002 archive page) fr icon.]

The PIT joined the Coalition Alternative 2007 for the 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections. In December 2006, Moustapha Niasse was designated as the coalition's candidate in the February 2007 presidential election and Dansokho was designated to head the coalition's list in the parliamentary election, [ [http://www.apanews.net/elect_article_eng.php?id_article=17442 "Senegalese opposition leader heads new coalition"] , African Press Agency, December 22, 2006.] which was later scheduled to be held in June 2007. After the presidential election, in which Wade was re-elected, Wade mentioned Dansokho as one of several opposition politicians who would be facing prosecution for corruption. Dansokho was accused of selling lands around the international airport while he was Minister of Urban Planning and of embezzling 17 million CFA francs as mayor of Kédougou. He dismissed these charges, calling Wade a coward. [Pape Noel Fall, [http://www.thepoint.gm/headlines1749.htm "Wade Threatens to sue Niasse, Idy, Tanor, Dansokho Following his victory in Senegal Elections"] , "The Point" (The Gambia), March 5, 2007.] [ [http://allafrica.com/stories/200703051669.html "Senegal: Dansokho And Niasse React to Wade"] , "FOROYAA" (allAfrica.com), March 5, 2007.] Dansokho, acting as spokesman for 12 opposition parties, announced a boycott of the parliamentary election on April 2, 2007, [Diadie Ba, [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20070402231657727C167529 "Senegal's opposition to boycott elections"] , Reuters ("IOL"), April 2, 2007.] and as a result of this the PIT did not participate in the election.

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