President Bassirou Diomaye Faye Launches Kiiraay Political Party

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye formally launched the Kiiraay-The Republican Patriots political party during a founding assembly in Dakar on July 25, 2026. The creation of the party, whose name means protection or shield in Wolof, formalizes a political rupture between Faye and his former ally and mentor, Ousmane Sonko. The two rose to power together in 2024 under the PASTEF party, but their alliance collapsed over policy disputes regarding economic strategy and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund during a severe national debt crisis.

The rift culminated in May 2026, when Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister. While Sonko now serves as President of the National Assembly and continues to lead PASTEF, Faye formed a new government in June under Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo that excludes PASTEF ministers. The establishment of Kiiraay, overseen by former Prime Minister Aminata Toure, aims to create an independent political base focused on ethics and transparency.

This political division occurs as Senegal manages a debt crisis and efforts to address underreported borrowing from the previous administration. Although the National Assembly attempted to bar presidents from leading political parties, the Constitutional Council struck down the measure. Separately, Faye recently assumed the one-year chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States during a summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.