By Yandé Diop
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye sought to clarify his position and political history during a meeting of his coalition’s leadership council on Saturday in Dakar. In a firm speech, the head of state dismissed any questioning of his party’s legitimacy. “No one can erase my work in Pastef, and today more than ever, I assert my membership in Pastef,” he declared, thus recalling his central role in the dynamic that led to the change of power.
Reflecting on the obstacles encountered during the pre-election period, the president spoke at length about the dissolution of his original party by decree on 31st July, 2023. That administrative decision had plunged the movement into a complete legal deadlock. “The truth is that Pastef no longer existed. The party was dissolved by decree on 31st July, 2023. But it rose from the ashes after my election,” explained Bassirou Diomaye Faye to justify the political manoeuvering deployed at the time.
Lacking a legal basis for his own party, the candidate at the time had to rely on the solidarity of other political forces. The head of state made a point of acknowledging the loyalty of the officials who facilitated his path to the presidency. “Men lent us their receipts and walked with us,” he recalled, stressing that these strategic alliances were the foundation of the final victory, without diluting its original political identity.
Seneweb
