President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal has terminated the mandate of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the entire government through a presidential decree issued Friday evening.

In an official statement broadcast on national television by presidential secretary general Oumar Samba Ba, the move was framed as the president exercising his constitutional authority to restructure the executive branch.

The decree states that outgoing ministers, including former Prime Minister Sonko, are instructed to handle only current administrative tasks until a new government is formed.

This dramatic shift follows months of escalating tensions between President Faye and his former mentor, Sonko, once a prominent opposition leader whose influence was instrumental in securing the president’s election.

Sonko’s political journey had been marked by controversy, including a 2024 conviction for defamation that temporarily stripped him of voting rights, preventing his presidential candidacy.

The rift between the two leaders had become increasingly visible in recent months, with Sonko’s party holding a commanding majority in the National Assembly after sweeping legislative elections in November 2024.

Ousmane Sonko rose to prominence with fiery panafricanist rhetoric that galvanized disillusioned Senegalese youth ahead of the 2024 presidential vote, where he ultimately backed Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s campaign.

Sonko took to social media shortly after the announcement, expressing relief with a simple message: “Alhamdoulillah. Tonight I will sleep peacefully at the Keur Gorgui residence,” referring to his Dakar neighborhood.

Videos quickly circulated showing jubilant supporters converging on Sonko’s residence, chanting his name in celebration of his dismissal.