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A new political rift has emerged in Senegal between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, following the dismissal of one of Sonko’s key allies.
The dispute marks the latest sign of tension between the two leaders, whose once-solid partnership helped propel them to power.
Faye announced late on Tuesday that he had removed Aissatou Mbodj, a close confidante of Sonko, from her role as coordinator of their ruling coalition, citing “divisive elements” within the movement.
He appointed former prime minister Aminata Touré as her replacement.
The move came just days after Sonko had publicly defended Mbodj, dismissing talk of her removal and voicing his support for her during a large rally in Dakar over the weekend.
On Wednesday, Sonko’s Pastef party—the driving force behind the coalition—hit back, declaring that the president “did not have the authority to dismiss Mrs Mbodj” and refusing to recognise Touré’s appointment.
“Pastef and its allies do not recognise any initiative coordinated by Mrs Touré,” the party said in a statement.
The public clash follows earlier signs of strain between the pair. In July, Sonko accused Faye of lacking leadership, in a rare public rebuke of the president.
Faye and Sonko were once close allies and cellmates during the presidency of Macky Sall, who ruled Senegal from 2012 to 2024. Their joint rise to power in the March 2024 elections, on a platform of anti-corruption and radical reform, had sparked widespread hope among young Senegalese seeking change.
However, the growing discord between them has cast doubt on the stability of their alliance — and on whether it can endure until the next presidential election in 2029.
