MUSLIM ‘FEMINIST’ AXED

Senegalese President Macky Sall has sacked a senior official who, on International Women’s Day, criticised as “nonsense” the way the country treated women – because his remarks were seen as attacking Islam.

The President removed Papa Amadou Sarr from his ministerial-ranking post as general delegate at an organisation called the Fast-track Entrepreneurship for Women and Young People.

Mr Sarr said he could not understand how in 21st century Senegal “people can still come out with such nonsense as ‘no, a woman cannot shake hands with a holy man and she cannot be in the same room’ ”.

He admitted he was being “provocative” and went on to list “other incongruities” facing women in Senegal, which included being unable to work or being paid less than a man with the same qualifications.