Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko addressed the contentious issue of political funds, asserting that it represents a commitment made during the electoral campaign and a long-standing debate within his political faction. He also disclosed a significant disagreement with the President of the Republic on this crucial matter.

During an interview conducted on May 2nd at the Presidential Palace, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had also spoken about political funds. He defended their continued existence while acknowledging their sensitive nature regarding transparency. President Faye had stated that “Political funds pertain to expenditures that cannot be detailed to the general public.” The head of state justified their use by citing requirements related to intelligence and national security, as well as international solidarity obligations and various internal state requests.

The head of government declared, “Regarding political funds, this is an electoral pledge. I am not in agreement with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye; he has made a mistake. I dare to hope that he will rectify this.” Reflecting on the origins of the discussion, he further added, “Since 2019, we initiated this debate on political funds. No one imposed it upon us; we judged that all funds must be transparent.”

Ousmane Sonko clarified that his stance is not aimed at the outright abolition of these funds, but rather at implementing strict oversight of their utilization. He affirmed, “We have not stated that we will eliminate political funds, but they must be controlled, similar to practices in countries like France.” Addressing his own administrative resources at the Primature, he revealed, “At the Primature, I manage 1.77 billion in political funds. Therefore, this debate is not personal, but the Senegalese people do not wish for these funds to become political spoils or a means of personal enrichment.”

The Prime Minister underscored the critical need for transparency in managing public finances. He added, “These are matters of principle; no taxpayer funds should escape scrutiny.” Finally, he addressed the ongoing legislative process surrounding this issue: “When I learned that Guy Marius Sagna intended to introduce the bill, I informed the President that it would be a failure for the legislative branch to champion this law, given it was a promise from the executive. I had told him that I disagreed with the arguments he presented on television. I will bring the bill proposal to the Council of Ministers if his observations on this matter are delayed.”