After a temporary halt for the Grand Magal de Touba festivities, Pastef’s leader, Ousmane Sonko, has vigorously recommenced his party’s membership drive. This intensive campaign, initially launched with significant fanfare in Touba during the « 48H Pastef » event, has already seen remarkable engagement. Previous stops in Bargny, Sébikotane, Khombole, Bambey, Keur Madiabel, and Mbacké consistently drew large crowds, showcasing fervent grassroots mobilization. Notably, one such impactful visit on July 26th coincided with the unveiling of the presidential party Kiiraay.

This renewed push is integral to Pastef’s ambitious target of enlisting a million new members before October, a key objective in current African current affairs. Ousmane Sonko himself underscored this goal during his visit to Mbacké, even declaring that the Mbacké department alone possesses the potential to contribute one million adherents. The overwhelming enthusiasm during earlier stages of the tour frequently led to rapid depletion of membership cards, necessitating urgent resupply efforts to meet the surging demand.

The resumption unfolds against a backdrop of escalating political tensions. A definitive split has emerged between Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, further complicated by the recent launch of the new presidential entity, Kiiraay. This development has prompted several key Pastef figures to defect in recent weeks. In response to these departures, the party leader had previously urged his supporters to refrain from commenting on the defections and instead maintain unwavering focus on the ongoing campaign’s critical objectives.