Senegal top court affirms Faye’s election victory

Senegal’s top court, the Constitutional Council, has officially confirmed the election victory of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

This confirmation paves the way for Faye’s inauguration as the country’s fifth president, which is scheduled to take place on April 2nd.

The Constitutional Council validated the provisional results announced earlier this week, which were based on vote tallies from all polling stations across the country.

Faye, an anti-establishment candidate and a close ally of popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, secured over 54 percent of votes in the delayed presidential poll held last Sunday.

His closest competitor, Amadou Ba, who was handpicked by outgoing President Macky Sall and represented the ruling coalition, received around 35 percent of the vote.

Significantly, no objections were raised by other contenders, solidifying the legitimacy of Faye’s victory. At the age of 44, Faye also becomes the youngest president in Africa, a fact that has garnered attention and optimism both domestically and externally.

The African Union applauded the “unanimous acceptance of the results,” with African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat extending his warm congratulations to Faye.

Mahamat expressed his wishes for Faye’s success in his new role and emphasized the weighty and noble responsibility that lies ahead.

French President Emmanuel Macron also joined in congratulating Faye on his victory. In a statement released by his office, Macron expressed his desire to “continue and intensify the partnership” between France and Senegal.

Millions of Senegalese citizens participated in the vote that took place last Sunday. This important election came after a period of three years marked by political turbulence, which resulted in violent antigovernment protests.

These protests managed to generate more support for the opposition. As the election approached, there was a strong belief that Faye would be a formidable candidate to replace President Sall.

This belief was strengthened when Faye’s ally, Sonko, was disqualified from running due to a suspended jail sentence for defamation. Sonko then endorsed Faye as his replacement.

Interestingly, Faye himself faced adversity and controversy in the months leading up to the election. In April of the previous year, he was imprisoned and charged with contempt of court, defamation, and acts likely to compromise public peace.

This was a result of a critical message he had posted on Facebook about the justice system. However, he was not convicted of any crime and was able to stand as a candidate in the election.

The fact that Faye, who had been imprisoned for over 11 months, has now become the leader of one of the fastest-growing economies in West Africa has garnered international attention, reports from Dakar, highlighted the significance of this achievement. Faye, also known as ‘Diomaye’, is the youngest elected head of state in Africa. He has made promises of bringing about much-needed change to the people of Senegal.

Both men studied law and worked as tax inspectors, where they met and spoke out against corruption, and later co-founded the now-dissolved PASTEF party in 2014.

They have branded themselves as incorruptible tax inspectors who did not fill their pockets while others did.

Faye’s triumph comes just 10 days after his release from prison, adding to the significance of his win. Throughout his campaign, Faye emphasized the need for a “break” from the current political system, resonating with a population that had grown disillusioned with the outgoing leadership.

Political analysts believe that his victory reflects a wider protest against the establishment and reveals divisions within the ruling coalition, which, despite its significant political power, appears to be weakened.