Tensions are escalating in Dakar as Senegal’s National Assembly prepares for a pivotal session today, when lawmakers will vote on reinstating Ousmane Sonko as a deputy and electing a new speaker. The move follows sharp criticism from the opposition, which argues the procedure violates legal norms.
Outside Ousmane Sonko’s residence in the Cité Keur Gorgui neighborhood, a Pastef-Les Patriotes party activist shouted, “Sonkooo!” in support of the leader who had just been dismissed as Prime Minister. The mood among activists is somber, especially after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye replaced Sonko with a new head of government.
Nourdine Diallo, a lifelong supporter, expressed deep disappointment, recalling the campaign slogan that united the party: “Diomaye is Sonko—Sono is Diomaye.” He emphasized the bond between the two leaders, calling it “fraternal, partisan, and institutional.”
Institutional showdown unfolds
Sonko’s removal came shortly after he publicly challenged key presidential decisions during a parliamentary session. Now, a power struggle is brewing as lawmakers convene to restore his parliamentary seat and elect a new speaker to replace the recently resigned El Hadj Malick Ndiaye—a close ally of Sonko who stepped down on Sunday. If reinstated, Sonko would become Senegal’s second-highest-ranking official.
Political analyst Malao Kanté warns this shift could spark a direct confrontation. “Ousmane Sonko may now represent the face of the opposition, but his party holds a parliamentary majority. That’s risky. A no-confidence motion against the next Prime Minister could paralyze the state,” he cautioned.
Opposition slams reinstatement process
Adama Fall, a Pastef-Les Patriotes official, urged national unity, drawing parallels to historic African political rivalries. “We’ve seen these clashes before—from Blaise Compaoré to Thomas Sankara, Patrice Lumumba to Léopold Sédar Senghor and Mamadou Dia. But this generation is different. We’re conscious, and history won’t repeat itself in the same way—it will move forward.”
The Pastef party is in turmoil, with several senior members resigning in solidarity. Meanwhile, the opposition Takuu Walu group held an emergency press conference on Monday, declaring El Hadj Malick Ndiaye’s resignation invalid for violating parliamentary rules. Aïssata Tall Sall, the group’s leader, urged President Faye to challenge Sonko’s reinstatement at the Constitutional Council, labeling it a “constitutional coup.” She warned that if no action is taken, Sonko could target the presidency next.
The President acted quickly, appointing banking executive and former Central Bank of West African States official Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô as the new Prime Minister. Lô, a former presidential advisor, stressed that Senegal stands at a turning point and called for national mobilization.
