Kiiraay party launch formalizes Faye’s split with Sonko
Senegal’s president has launched Kiiraay-The Republican Patriots after a break with Ousmane Sonko, Al Jazeera reported.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
3 min read
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye launched the Kiiraay party on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported, turning his break with former prime minister Ousmane Sonko into a formal political split. The move matters because both men claim ties to the reform movement that brought them to power in 2024.
Al Jazeera reported that Kiiraay-The Republican Patriots grew out of the Diomaye President coalition, which supported Faye’s presidential campaign. At a launch event in Dakar, Faye presented the party as a vehicle built around institutions, ethics and transparency.
Faye told supporters that Kiiraay-The Republican Patriots would be an “open house” and said it would welcome young people, women, farmers, fishermen, teachers, health workers, the diaspora and other citizens committed to public service, according to Al Jazeera. He also said political responsibilities should be treated as duties, not rewards.
Why did Faye start a new party?
According to Al Jazeera, Faye’s new party is an attempt to build his own political base outside the PASTEF machinery associated with Sonko. The launch follows months of disputes over government direction, economic policy and the management of Senegal’s public finances.
Faye and Sonko rose together through PASTEF, the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity, Al Jazeera reported. Sonko, a former tax inspector, became a leading opposition figure by campaigning against corruption, calling for economic sovereignty and drawing support from young voters concerned about unemployment and living costs.
When Sonko could not run in the 2024 presidential election, PASTEF chose Faye as its candidate, according to Al Jazeera. Faye campaigned under the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko,” won the presidency and appointed Sonko prime minister.
The alliance later deteriorated as Senegal faced economic strain linked to previously undisclosed public debt, Al Jazeera reported. At the end of May, Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister and dissolved the government; Sonko then said PASTEF would stay out of the new cabinet.
What is Kiiraay-The Republican Patriots?
Kiiraay-The Republican Patriots is Faye’s new political party, according to Al Jazeera. It is meant to give the president an organization tied to his office and coalition rather than leaving him dependent on PASTEF’s grassroots network.
Al Jazeera reported that the party’s first test will be whether it can draw support beyond voters who backed Faye as Sonko’s chosen successor. Sonko remains a powerful political figure and retains support inside PASTEF despite leaving government.
Kabir Adamu, founder of Beacon Consulting Ltd and a Nigeria-based security analyst focused on the Sahel, told Al Jazeera the split could create legislative paralysis and economic instability. He also said the domestic crisis could limit Faye’s ability to carry out responsibilities expected of him by ECOWAS, the West African regional bloc.
The political divide comes as Senegal is trying to restore confidence in state finances after an audit found previously undisclosed liabilities under the previous administration, Al Jazeera reported. Faye’s government is also under pressure to deliver on pledges to fight corruption, create jobs and secure greater national benefits from oil, gas and mineral resources.
Mubarak Aliyu, a Nigeria-based political and security risk analyst focused on West Africa and the Sahel, told Al Jazeera that the timing of the rupture could complicate debt restructuring and fiscal decisions. Benjamin Dwomoh-Doyen, executive director of the African Chamber of Content Producers, told Al Jazeera he hoped Senegal’s leaders would put national cohesion and public welfare ahead of political rivalry.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.