During a recent discussion, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko addressed the contentious issue of political funds, characterizing it as a pivotal electoral commitment made during their campaign and a long-standing internal debate within their political movement. He explicitly acknowledged a divergence of opinion with the President of the Republic on this critical matter of public finance in African politics.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had previously articulated his perspective on political funds during an interview at the Palace of the Republic on May 2nd. While acknowledging the sensitive nature of these funds concerning transparency, he defended their continued existence. President Faye asserted that “political funds involve expenditures that cannot be publicly itemized,” justifying their necessity for intelligence and security operations, international solidarity obligations, and various internal state requests. This highlights a key point of discussion in current Africa news and governance.

“Regarding political funds, this is an electoral pledge,” the Prime Minister stated unequivocally. “I do not agree with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye; he has made a mistake. I sincerely hope he will rectify his position.” Reflecting on the genesis of this debate, Sonko added, “We initiated this discussion on political funds back in 2019. No one imposed it upon us; we simply believed that all funds should be transparent.”

Ousmane Sonko further clarified that his stance is not aimed at the outright abolition of these funds but rather at establishing stringent controls over their allocation and expenditure. He affirmed, “We have never advocated for the elimination of political funds, but they must be regulated, much like in countries such as France.” Citing his own administrative resources at the Primature, he revealed, “At the Primature, I manage 1.77 billion in political funds. Therefore, this debate is not personal; rather, the Senegalese people demand that these funds not be exploited as political spoils or for personal enrichment.”

The Premier underscored the paramount importance of transparency in the stewardship of public finances. He reiterated, “These are matters of principle; no taxpayer funds should ever evade scrutiny.” Finally, Sonko shed light on the ongoing legislative efforts surrounding this dossier: “When I learned that Guy Marius Sagna intended to introduce a draft law, I informed the President that it would be a setback for the legislative branch to champion this bill, given that it was an executive promise. I conveyed my disagreement with his arguments, which were even aired on television. I intend to present the draft law to the Council of Ministers myself if his observation on this matter is delayed.”