Senegal’s president sacks prime minister amid rising political tension

The president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has terminated the mandate of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the entire government in a late-night decree, following months of escalating friction between the two leaders.

In an official statement broadcast on national television by presidential secretary-general Oumar Samba Ba, it was announced that the president had “put an end to the functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, and consequently to those of the ministers and state secretaries.” The outgoing officials have been instructed to handle only routine administrative matters until a new government is formed.

Sonko, once a prominent opposition figure against former President Macky Sall (2012–2024), had been barred from running in the February 2024 presidential election due to a defamation conviction that stripped him of civil rights. His disqualification sparked widespread protests against Sall’s attempt to seek a third term. In response, Sonko endorsed Bassirou Diomaye Faye as his successor, a move that ultimately led to their joint rise to power.

However, tensions between President Faye and his former mentor and charismatic predecessor have steadily intensified since the election. Sonko’s panafricanist rhetoric had galvanized Senegal’s disillusioned youth ahead of the 2024 vote and during months of confrontation with Sall’s administration.

Minutes after the announcement of his dismissal, Sonko took to social media to express relief, stating, “Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep peacefully in Keur Gorgui,” referring to his residence in Dakar. Videos circulating online showed jubilant supporters gathering outside his home, chanting his name in celebration.

The rift between the head of state and the former head of government had become increasingly evident in recent months, making any prospect of reconciliation increasingly unlikely. Sonko’s party holds a commanding majority in Senegal’s National Assembly following a landslide victory in the November 2024 legislative elections.

© SEYLLOU, AFP – Former Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in Dakar on September 26, 2024