Inside look at Ousmane Sonko’s legislative agenda at Senegal’s National Assembly

Ousmane Sonko is pushing a landmark bill to mandate asset declarations for outgoing presidents, with strong backing from the Justice Minister.

Parliamentary session set to tackle sweeping reforms

The National Assembly is gearing up for a packed legislative calendar, featuring institutional reforms, parliamentary inquiry commissions, and strategic bills. At the heart of this agenda lies Ousmane Sonko’s majority’s drive to fast-track governance priorities, with a sharp focus on transparency, accountability, and public oversight.

A constitutional reform with far-reaching implications

The most anticipated legislation is the bill to amend Article 37 of the Constitution. The proposal seeks to require the President to submit a detailed asset declaration upon leaving office. Early indications suggest the Justice Minister has already given this measure preliminary approval, advocating for its uniform application across all senior public officials.

Another critical initiative involves tightening regulations around political funds. Long operating in a legal gray area, these funds may soon face stricter legal oversight to ensure full transparency and traceability in their management.

Parliamentary inquiries to scrutinize state assets and delayed reforms

The Bureau of the National Assembly has approved the creation of three new parliamentary inquiry commissions. The first will investigate the management of state-owned real estate, particularly following controversies surrounding the Cité Fayçal project and the Sogepa’s operations. A second commission will revisit the long-stalled Travaux à Réalisations Spéciales (TRS) dossier, despite earlier efforts by the Takku Wallu parliamentary group.

Meanwhile, the Executive Branch is advancing several high-priority ratification bills, including the highly anticipated Petroleum Code, as energy sector developments take center stage in Senegal’s economic outlook.