Political accountability in Senegal’s leadership transition

The gap between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko must not fuel political whitewashing

When they stood united to shield the President from the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, their alliance defied the reform they had publicly endorsed. The promise to abolish the amnesty law was left unfulfilled, and the calls for transparent leadership appointments—explicitly outlined in their manifesto—were deliberately ignored.

Political funds continued to flow unchecked, despite the existence of a regulatory framework that required only a parliamentary majority to pass. That majority was secured months after their rise to power, yet no action was taken to formalize oversight. Meanwhile, the declarations of assets, a cornerstone of anti-corruption measures advocated by both the United Nations and the African Union, remain conspicuously absent from the agenda.

Accountability cannot be weaponized

Those who now champion reforms with sudden zeal were once complicit in their delay. The National Assembly, a pillar of the Republic, deserves more than partisan score-settling and theatrical displays of division. A rupture between leaders must not obscure the shared responsibilities that remain unaddressed.

Thierno Bocoum
President, AGIR-LES LEADERS