In Senegal, the State of Emergency and State of Siege Bill is causing a lot of commotion in civil society.

Adopted on Monday in the national assembly, the bill offers the possibility for the executive power and local elected officials to take measures deemed exceptional outside the proclamation of the state of emergency to ensure the normal functioning of public services.

This bill submitted to the national assembly in a context of a health crisis did not solicit the inputs of civil society and even lawyers.

The new law concentrates power in the hand of the head of state, something critics fear could result in an abuse of power.

Lawyer Assane Diomaye Ndiaye expresses his concern.