Senegal president’s unexpected request to opposition leader Ousmane Sonko

Behind the abrupt departure: a tale of unmet conditions

The political landscape in Senegal remains volatile after the unexpected dismissal of Ousmane Sonko from his role as Prime Minister. In a candid interview, the former head of government shares exclusive details about his removal, describing it as a unilateral decision with no prior consultation.

According to Sonko, President Faye requested that he publicly frame the separation as a mutual agreement. The former Prime Minister rejected this proposal outright, stating, “He wanted me to declare we parted ways by mutual consent, but we had not discussed this. He made his decision unilaterally.”

Sonko further explains that he sought a grace period of 24 to 48 hours to organize the transition process. However, he claims the presidency moved forward immediately, bypassing any discussion on the political messaging surrounding the dismissal.

Political independence or forced exit?

The former Prime Minister maintains that his departure was not a personal setback but rather a strategic move. He asserts that he had always set a personal rule to avoid initiating any split with the administration, even in moments of disagreement.

Sonko adds that he returned home the same day as the announcement and remained in silence as tensions simmered between the parties involved. He later learned that the presidency had begun informal consultations with outgoing ministers from his party, Pastef, prompting him to advise them against engaging in these discussions outside official channels.

Failed mediation and lingering tensions

According to Sonko, the lack of communication persisted for days until an attempt at reconciliation was made. He proposed a meeting with key political figures, including Birame Souleye Diop, El Malick Ndiaye, Alioune Sall, and Daouda Ngom, but the initiative never materialized.

The final negotiations, he claims, were conducted with the new Prime Minister, Al Aminou Lo, without any resolution on critical issues such as accountability, justice, or public debt management.