It was tagged another show of people’s power in Senegal with Bassirou Faye now set to take over on Tuesday after being certified winner of the Presidential election in the first round.
At 44, he steps into what can be called uncharted territory having never held public office before, asides being a key ally to Ousmane Sonko, his. mentor who was disqualified following a controversial conviction months to the election.
In this report, ait.live’s Oshiokhayameh Madaki examines what role the youth in Senegal played in the politicking, and what lies ahead for Faye as leader.
As The president-elect Baissirou Faye prepares to assume his first public office which also happens to be the highest role in Senegal’s helm of affairs his commitment to the triumph of democracy as seen in his election victory will be tested against several other older leaders in Africa’s political arena.
Youths in the country have no less contributed to the sustenance of democratic values and Faye has resounded among them since His youthful fervor in politics began to take center stage when Faye joined the autonomous union of tax and domain agents after meeting its founder and fellow tax collector Ousmane Sonko, who formed a political party in 2014 named African Patriots of Senegal for Labor, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF).
Upon joining PASTEF Faye rose to an executive leadership level and in Senegal’s 2019 Presidential election, though incumbent president Macky sall was re-elected, Sonko who represented PASTEF placed third and due to Faye’s proactivity during party campaigns, he became secretary-general of the party in 2021.
In the build up to the 2024 elections his rise hit a twist as faye was arrested in April 2023 and jailed on charges of defaming magistrates and contempt of court, leading to the governments’ move to dissolve PASTEF as a leading opposition party over allegations that the party had held violent protests earlier that year and also in 2021.
The former President of the national association of Nigerian Students Jude Imagwa highlighted how these events have politically charged the youths in the country in a positive and progressive way.
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The announcement largely seen as an abuse of power by President Sall that the 2024 electon would be postponed and later set for December, which led to severe criticism from several countries and violent protests held by youths throughout Senegal stands out as an example of democratic subversion that the new President would have to face.
The eventual cancellation of the decree by the constitutional council on February 15 having polls moved forward to march 24 on grounds that neither Sall nor the National Assembly had the authority to postpone the election also represented a level of dysfunction in synergy between the judicial, legislative and the executive arms of government.
Francis Bonifce, a journalist with west Africa democracy radio in Dakar says Faye has his work cut out for him as he needs to assert his position as an efficient administrator to tackle these and several other issues.
Despite his late release from jail on march 6 from the institution of an amnesty law and running tight campaign trail, On March 24 election Faye was listed as one of 19 candidates and it quickly became apparent that he was on track to garner more than 50 percent of the vote.
Bassirou has a 7-year tenure. What he achieves or does not achieve within this period, will be assessed by Senegal’s people. His time Starts from Tuesday, April the second.
It is expected that his youthfulness would help bring a new wave of political awareness among Senegalese.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
