Local political clash erupts in Saint-Louis over shifting alliances
Tensions have flared in Saint-Louis, Senegal, after a sharp exchange between Modou Mbène Guèye, coordinator of the Pastef party in the region, and Abba Mbaye, a former deputy, following critical remarks aired on a national television program.
During the appearance, Abba Mbaye accused Ousmane Sonko of sacrificing his allies to consolidate power, drawing a parallel with the current strategy he claims President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is employing with the Kiiraay movement. « He has abandoned every ally to build a majority. That is precisely what President Diomaye Faye is attempting now, » Mbaye asserted. His comments followed his own recent decision to join the presidential camp, a move he justified by condemning what he described as the nation’s political decline from a pioneering model to a spectacle of chaos.
Modou Mbène Guèye wasted no time in firing back, accusing Abba Mbaye of political amnesia. In a statement dripping with sarcasm, he argued that Mbaye contributed nothing to the election of President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko, despite having criticized them repeatedly in the past. « Abba Mbaye has no principles, no convictions, and absolutely no ethics. The only thing he embodies is ingratitude, » Guèye declared.
The local Pastef leader went further, dissecting Mbaye’s political record. He recalled that after winning his 2022 parliamentary seat under the Yewwi Askan Wi banner—within the Taxawu Sénégal movement linked to Khalifa Sall—Mbaye immediately declared he owed nothing to anyone. Guèye contrasted this with earlier campaign statements where Mbaye allegedly blamed Sonko for blocking his path to the mayoralty. He also highlighted disrespectful remarks Mbaye had made about the late socialist leader Ousmane Tanor Dieng and his stance during the formation of the 14th legislature.
Closing his rebuttal, Modou Mbène Guèye reaffirmed Saint-Louis’ unwavering loyalty to Pastef, regardless of the political perks Abba Mbaye might secure by aligning with the presidential camp. He pointed to a vigorous local membership drive, which has already distributed 3,750 new cards in the commune, with a second phase set to launch this Saturday, August 8th.
