In a powerful address delivered in Sadio, Diourbel region, over the weekend, Ousmane Sonko, leader of PASTEF-Les Patriotes, unleashed sharp criticism against the current administration’s governance while questioning President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s deviation from the party’s original blueprint.
The speech, which drew a massive turnout of supporters, revisited the circumstances surrounding Faye’s March 2024 election victory. Sonko reminded the crowd that it was his own candidacy that had been initially disqualified, prompting him to rally behind Faye’s bid for the presidency.
“We propelled him to the highest office, only for him to drift away from the project that inspired our people’s hope,” Sonko declared, emphasizing the growing disconnect between the government’s actions and the promises made to the Senegalese public.
The opposition leader highlighted what he described as a fading promise to the nation, urging a return to the foundational commitments that had once galvanized the population. He went on to assert his pivotal role in shaping the 2024 political shift, claiming that much of the groundwork for the transition had been laid under his leadership.
Looking ahead, Sonko signaled 2026 and 2029 as critical milestones for reinforcing PASTEF’s political vision. His remarks come amid persistent speculation about the working relationship between the president and his prime minister, though no official response from the presidency has been issued at this time.
