Afrigather Senegal inaugurated Bassirou Diomaye Faye as its new president on Tuesday, finishing the beforehand little-known opposition determine’s dramatic ascent from jail to the palace in current weeks.
Faye was launched from jail lower than two weeks earlier than the March 24 election, together with standard opposition determine and mentor Ousmane Sonko, following a political amnesty introduced by outgoing President Macky Sall. It’s the former tax inspector’s first time in elected workplace.
“It’s the fruits of an extended battle for democracy and the rule of regulation,” mentioned Aissata Sagna, a 39-year-old manufacturing facility employee who labored on Faye’s marketing campaign. “It is a day of celebration for us, even when we’ve misplaced younger individuals killed in the course of the demonstrations.”
The election examined Senegal’s popularity as a secure democracy in West Africa, a area that has skilled coups and tried coups. It adopted months of unrest ignited by the arrests final yr of Sonko and Faye and issues that the president would search a 3rd time period in workplace regardless of constitutional time period limits. Rights teams mentioned dozens have been killed within the protests and about 1,000 have been jailed.
Faye, 44, campaigned on guarantees to scrub up corruption and higher handle the nation’s pure assets. His victory was seen as reflecting the need of younger individuals annoyed with widespread unemployment and former colonial ruler France, seen by critics to be utilizing its relationship with Senegal to counterpoint itself.
Such frustrations are frequent throughout many nations in Africa, house to the world’s youngest inhabitants, the place a lot of leaders have clung to energy for many years.
In his first speech as president-elect, Faye promised to struggle corruption and reform the economic system.
A practising Muslim from a small city, Faye has two wives, each of whom have been current on Tuesday. Forward of the election, he launched a declaration of his property to indicate transparency and known as on different candidates to do the identical. It listed a house in Dakar and land exterior the capital and in his hometown. His financial institution accounts totaled roughly $6,600.
“I believe the primary problem is the formation of his (Faye’s) authorities,” mentioned Alioune Tine, founding father of the Senegalese assume tank Afrikajom Middle. “This would be the first concrete message he sends to the Senegalese individuals. The scale, range and profiles can be analyzed with a fine-tooth comb, to see in the event that they meet the demand for a break with the previous.”
The brand new president was little recognized till Sonko, a preferred opposition determine who got here third within the earlier election in 2019, named him to run in his place after being barred from the election for a previous conviction. Whereas Sonko’s future position within the new administration is unclear, he’s anticipated to have a outstanding position.
Faye was arrested for alleged defamation final yr, whereas Sonko confronted a lot of fees, together with a chronic authorized battle that began when he was accused of rape in 2021. He was acquitted of the rape fees however was convicted of corrupting youth and sentenced to 2 years in jail final summer time. Sonko’s supporters say his authorized troubles have been a part of a authorities effort to derail his candidacy.
Whereas Sall finally dominated out working for a 3rd time period, he then abruptly postponed the election in February with solely weeks to go, triggering one other wave of protests. That transfer was blocked by the nation’s constitutional courtroom and the election was finally held weeks later in March.
Further sources • AP
