Rédaction Africa Links 24 with pierre Dieme
Published on 2024-03-08 17:19:36
Imprisoned for nearly a year, the Secretary General of the Pastef party hopes to finally emerge from the shadow of the popular Sonko. His ability to appeal to the electorate and to bravely carry out the much criticized political project of the government will be put to the test.
As the presidential election approaches, scheduled for March 24th, the anti-system opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, awaits his imminent release from prison to step out of the shadow of the popular Ousmane Sonko.
At 43 years old, Mr. Faye is the Secretary General and founding member of the now dissolved Pastef party. He has been imprisoned for nearly a year for “contempt of judge” following a post on Facebook. “I confirm that Bassirou Diomaye Faye is a beneficiary of the amnesty law” enacted this week which should apply to all offenses or crimes committed since 2021 of a political nature, his lawyer, Maître Moussa Sarr, told AFP. His release seems imminent.
Perceived as one of the favorites in the election, Mr. Faye could then fully engage in the presidential campaign. For now, he still operates in the shadow of the very popular Ousmane Sonko, 49, also detained since late July for charges that his supporters see as political. “Ousmane is Diomaye, Diomaye is Ousmane,” they chant, showing their unwavering support for both men.
A prominent figure since his third place finish in the 2019 presidential election, Mr. Sonko is the natural leader of Pastef. Charismatic, he has captivated the youth with his sovereignist and anti-elite discourse. In 2021-2023, his standoff with the government sparked significant protests, resulting in dozens of deaths. Although his candidacy was invalidated, Mr. Sonko has called for support for Mr. Faye, referred to as a “substitute candidate”.
However, some observers, like political scientist Maurice Soudieck Dione from the University of Saint-Louis, believe that once released, Mr. Faye will have to prove himself and may reveal “inadequacies compared to the profile of the position”. Sidy Diop, deputy director of the government newspaper Le Soleil, suggests that the candidate “lacks the charisma and eloquence” of his mentor. Only direct involvement from Mr. Sonko in the campaign could, according to analysts, truly shift the election in favor of the opposition.
Regardless, the imminent release of Bassirou Diomaye Faye should allow him to definitively step out of Ousmane Sonko’s shadow and lead his own campaign as the race for the Senegalese presidency appears to be wide open.
Read the original article(French) on Dakar Matin
