The arrival of former President Macky Sall in Senegal on July 17, 2026, has ignited fierce backlash across the nation. Families of victims of political repression and civil society groups are expressing deep resentment, accusing the government of undermining justice by welcoming a figure they hold responsible for past violence.
Salimaa Thiam, mother of Ousmane Dia, who died during the 2023 political unrest, shared her pain in an emotional statement: “Hearing that Macky Sall is returning to Senegal reopens wounds I haven’t yet healed from. My son was taken from me during these events. We don’t want him here—not when he’s the architect of our suffering.”
Victims like Mabinta Bibi Djiba, who endured two stints in prison under house arrest in 2021 and 2024, argue that reconciliation must begin with accountability. “Before we talk about healing, we must identify those who caused this pain,” she asserts, calling on President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to prioritize justice over political gestures.
political figures and civil society react
Guy Marius Sagna, a lawmaker from Pastef, condemned the government’s decision, framing it as a betrayal of the president’s promises. “The head of state pledged never to fail the people. Yet here we are, watching him embrace the man accused of orchestrating torture, assassinations, and illegal detentions between 2021 and 2024,” Sagna declared.
Adama Sadio, a political science professor at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, highlighted the political undercurrents of the controversy. “The victims are often labeled as opposition supporters, and every move is calculated to pressure the government,” he explained. The Collective of Macky Sall’s Victims echoed this sentiment, calling the visit an insult to those who suffered during the repression.
The government’s decision to host the former president has deepened divisions, with critics arguing that it contradicts the new administration’s commitment to ending impunity. As the nation grapples with its past, the visit of Macky Sall has become a lightning rod for national debate.