Diomaye Faye unveils Kiiraay party amid political shift in Senegal

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has launched a new political party, Kiiraay, marking a definitive break from his former mentor and ex-Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, whose panafricanist movement, Pastef, once propelled Faye to power in 2024.

Faye, who appointed Sonko as Prime Minister upon taking office, later removed him from the role in May following a growing rift between the two leaders. The announcement of Kiiraay, whose name translates to “protection” or “shield” in Wolof, was made during a high-profile conference in Dakar, where hundreds of supporters gathered outside in sweltering heat, waving signs and scarves emblazoned with “Long live Diomaye”.

A party rooted in republican values

With the slogan “Patriots for the Republic,” Kiiraay is presented as a movement built on republicanism, ethics, transparency, fraternity, and hard work. Mamo Khady Sall, a 43-year-old attendee from Yeumbeul, a Dakar suburb, praised Faye as a “man of peace” and expressed her strong opposition to Sonko, whom she refused to mention by name.

From shared ambitions to political divergence

Sonko and Faye once united young Senegalese voters with a powerful panafricanist message, campaigning against the previous administration of President Macky Sall (2012–2024). Their platform promised economic transformation, social justice, and an end to corruption. However, Ibra Faye, an economist and financial engineer from Dakar, noted that “after two years in power, the desired changes proved impossible within Pastef’s current framework.”

Consolidating political dominance

At the launch event, Faye declared, “Kiiraay is the majority party in this country,” highlighting the presence of mayors, sector leaders, and civil society figures. Several Pastef officials have since defected to join the new movement. A post-rainy season congress is planned to formalize the party’s structure.

Faye’s presidency owes much to Sonko, who was barred from running in the 2024 election due to a defamation conviction, clearing the path for Faye’s victory. Their falling-out intensified over disagreements on managing Senegal’s soaring public debt and other governance issues. In May, Faye dismissed Sonko as Prime Minister, though his allies swiftly elected him President of the National Assembly—the undisputed leader of Pastef, which holds 130 of the 165 seats in Senegal’s unicameral parliament.

Earlier efforts to curb presidential powers—including a bill to prohibit the head of state from leading a party or coalition—were struck down by the Constitutional Council in late June, less than two weeks after adoption.