Ousmane sonko challenges president faye on Senegal’s constitutional revision

Following the National Assembly’s approval of the proposed constitutional revision, prominent political figure Ousmane Sonko meticulously recounted the entire process leading to this reform. He then directly attributed responsibility for the controversies surrounding the text to the head of state, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

“If there was any manipulation, it originated from the President of the Republic,” Sonko asserted. “He examined the text, selecting what suited him and discarding what did not. The Constitution, after all, does not belong to Bassirou Diomaye Faye.”

Sonko further elaborated on his concerns, highlighting specific provisions he accused President Faye of disregarding. These included the crucial requirement for a declaration of assets at the conclusion of a presidential mandate and the prohibition against the President of the Republic simultaneously leading a political party. He questioned the very legitimacy of such an approach, emphatically stating, “By what authority can a single individual arbitrarily choose between provisions that align with their interests and those that do not? This is utterly unacceptable.”

Indeed, Sonko underscored the established hierarchy of constitutional powers, firmly denying the President of the Republic the status of a constituent authority. “The president is not a constituent power,” he clarified. “The derived constituent power resides with the National Assembly. The original constituent power belongs solely to the people when they are consulted via a referendum.” This ongoing debate on Senegal’s constitutional framework is a key topic in African current affairs, raising important questions about African governance and the balance of power within the continent.