Dear Editor,
The gloves are off in Senegal’s corridors of power, and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko is pulling out all the stops. He’s cramping the country’s style with rallies injecting toxic allegations, plots, and macabre statements that are leaving citizens stunned. His acerbic, militaristic, and divisive rhetoric is corroding the very fabric of Senegal’s stability, and it’s defying logic that he remains in government.
A key adviser to President Diomaye Faye, former Prime Minister Aminata Mimi Touré, has become a target for Sonko’s wrath. Touré, a seasoned politician and former Prime Minister under Macky Sall, is a trusted ally of Faye’s and a key figure in his inner circle. Sonko’s attempt to take her down is a clear shot across Faye’s bow, a message that he’s coming for the President himself.
Sonko’s injection of jungle politics is debilitating, despicable, and abhorrent. He’s wading into the darkest recesses of political warfare, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. His actions are a clear indication that he’s no longer interested in governance; he’s solely focused on taking down President Faye and anyone who stands in his way, including the formidable Aminata Mimi Touré.
The moment of truth is fast approaching for Faye. Will he continue to extend an olive branch to Sonko, or will he finally take decisive action to stop the Prime Minister’s destructive agenda? One thing is certain: the status quo is unsustainable. Senegal is hurtling towards a catastrophic split, and Sonko is driving the bus.
Sonko’s behavior is that of an outlaw, unbound by norms or conventions. He’s a loose cannon, firing wildly and taking the country down with him. His actions are a betrayal of the trust reposed in him by the people, and it’s time for accountability. His characterisation of the judicial system and magistrates as corrupt and terrible is a stark reminder of his disdain for the rule of law. As Prime Minister and head of government, this is a shocking abdication of responsibility. His declaration that he’ll be a candidate in 2029, come what may, is a call to arms, an affront to the state and Senegal’s politics and security establishment.
The people of Senegal are bracing themselves for the worst. They’re tired of the toxic politics and the endless squabbling. They want leaders who will work for the greater good, not personal gain. Will they get it? Only time will tell.
The Pastef party as we know it is dead, and the intervening months will tell where President Faye stands. Pastef came to power asserting that they had a project at hand to deliver for Senegalese; in essence, they had all the solutions for the Senegalese people; no matter who was in charge, the project would be delivered. Alas, time has not been kind to Sonko and his gang of chicanery and recalcitrant politicians. As I wrote at the time, their rhetoric was rubbished, and they were demagogues playing with fire. Today, their house of cards is crumbling, and Senegal is left to pick up the pieces.
Musa Bassadi Jawara
