Senegal's President Faye launches new party, cementing ruling camp split
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FILE PHOTO: Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye speaks during a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Segar/ File Photo
DAKAR, July 26 - Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has launched a new political party, formalising his break with former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and the ruling Pastef party that swept him to power in 2024.
• Faye unveiled his Kiiraay — Republican Patriots party at a gathering in the capital Dakar on Saturday, describing it as "the majority party in this country". Kiiraay means "shield" in the local Wolof language.
• Faye and Sonko, once the twin faces of Senegal's anti-establishment movement, have been engaged in a months-long power struggle.
• Faye dismissed Sonko in May, but Sonko later became speaker of the National Assembly and remains the leader of Pastef, which retains a large majority in parliament.
• Senegal is grappling with a crisis stemming from the revelation of misreported debt under the previous government. REUTERS
