Ousman Sonko’s popularity began when he started enlightening the Senegalese people, especially the youth. He made them to be aware of what was happening during former President Macky Sall’s government. He would call for small meetings to expose how the former government was handling the economy of the country, and how corrupt the government was. This is why the youth see him as a revolutionary, and he is indeed a revolutionary. A man of principle and commitment!
This did not go down well with Macky Sall and his allies. They had to stop Sonko from revealing the corrupt practices Macky Sall’s government was engaged in. For Macky Sall, this was troubling. He ordered for the arrest of Ousman Sonko and detained him.
This angered the supporters of Ousman Sonko. They came out to the streets and protested, making the capital chaotic. Tyres were burnt on the road, and vehicles damaged. The security force came out to disperse the protesters, firing teargas on them. The damage was too much. Religious elders and community elders had to intervene because of the worsening situation. They had to send some delegates to Macky Sall to release Ousman Sonko, which he did. Stability was restored. People went on with their businesses.
But defiant Ousman Sonko would not relent to continue his mission. Yes, he had a mission: to ensure that dictatorship would be eliminated. He gained more popularity. Thousands would come out to welcome him when he was on a tour.
Macky Sall was never at ease because of Sonko’s popularity. Cunning as he is, he had to do something to silence Ousman Sonko. He and his allies framed an accusation to get Ousman Sonko behind bars. And they succeeded by instituting a rape charge against him. It was alleged that he raped Aji Sarr, who lied that she became pregnant from the rape. But after two years, there was no pregnancy. The charge was a set- up. A trumped-up charge! He was acquitted of rape and convicted on a charge of ‘corrupting the youth’. This charge was never before the court. It came up on judgement day. Ridiculous! It was believed that all the judges and magistrates were being dictated to by Macky Sall. Ousman Sonko was sentenced to two years imprisonment.
His supporters again came out to the streets to protest. Over 70 protesters were killed and over 1000 of them were sent to prison. Diomaye Faye was not spared because of his role in their party, PASTEF. Macky Sall’s aim was to eliminate Ousman Sonko from contesting in the 24th March, 2024, presidential election. He intended to go for another third term. And this was why he pushed the election to December, 2024. This caused chaos in the country. The Constitutional Council declared that Macky Sall could not extend his mandate to December, 2024, because he did not have the power to do so. He succumbed. He subsequently withdrew his bid for a third term. And the presidential election was held as scheduled.
There was an amnesty by Macky Sall to release Ousman Sonko and Diomaye Faye from prison. Thousands of Ousman Sonko’s supporters came out to receive him. It was really a hero’s welcome!
Because Ousman Sonko’s party was banned and he was not also qualified to contest in the presidential election, he chose Diomaye Faye to contest under the ticket of Diomaye President Coalition. As a result, he vigorously campaigned for Diomaye, telling voters that Diomaye is Sonko and Sonko is Diomaye because Diomaye is not politically known. And in the end, Diomaye was declared the winner of the election with 54%. President Diomaye Faye reciprocated by appointing Ousman Sonko as Prime Minister.
Their trouble started when President Diomaye Faye dismissed Ida Mboge as the coordinator of Diomaye President Coalition and replaced her with Aminata Touray, who served in Macky Sall’s government. This angered Ousman Sonko. It did not also go down well with his supporters. They accused her of safeguarding her interest because she fell out with Macky Sall, and this was why she was expelled from the National Assembly by members of his party who formed the majority at the time.
Ousman Sonko also had another issue with President Diomaye Faye. He felt very bad about it. He invited journalists and revealed the agreement he had with President Diomaye Faye, stating that El Malick Njie, former president (speaker) of the National Assembly, was present when he and President Diomaye Faye had the agreement. It seemed President Diomaye Faye did not honour the agreement.
What is baffling is that President Diomaye Faye has allowed some allies of Macky Sall to surround him as his advisers. One of them, Antouan Diom, who was serving as Interior Minister in Macky Sall’s government, once accused President Diomaye Faye of being a terrorist. And it is the same Antouan Diom who was recently invited by President Diomaye Faye for consultation. There were also other allies of Macky Sall who were invited for consultation. Ousman Sonko’s supporters doubted President Diomaye Faye’s loyalty to their party and leader.
In an interview with journalists, President Diomaye Faye said if he was not satisfied with the performance of Ousman Sonko, he would dismiss him. And he subsequently did so. Ousman Sonko’s supporters felt that President Diomaye Faye had betrayed him.
But Ousman Sonko was politically well prepared. Instead of resigning from his post as a member of the National Assembly, he only suspended it, meaning he could take back his seat any time. Because members of his party form the majority in the National Assembly, they integrated him into the National Assembly.
El Malick Njie had to resign from his post as speaker of the National Assembly to give way to Ousman Sonko to be elected speaker, and this was what they finally did. El Malick Njie has now retained his seat as member of the National assembly.
Some members of the opposition were angry at the integration of Ousman Sonko into the National Assembly. As a result, they filed an appeal at the Constitutional Council against his integration. However, the Constitutional Council ruled that it is not competent to hear the appeal. Consequently, their appeal failed. Ousman Sonko is now so powerful that he can at any time call for a vote of no confidence against President Diomaye Faye’s government.
“President Diomaye Faye sees Macky Sall’s allies who are now surrounding him as angels, and Ousman Sonko the devil. But the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know. As time goes on, President Diomaye Faye will realize the mess he has put himself in,” a supporter of Ousman Sonko commented.
Because of his anger, President Diomaye Faye declared that it is God who made him president and not PASTEF, Ousman Sonko’s party. It is the same President Diomaye Faye who once said: “I struggled for 10 years to make Ousman Sonko president but I could not. He campaigned for me for 10 days and made me president.”
You don’t bite the finger that feeds you. Faye Biram, you don’t do that.
