In a sharp exchange broadcast on a national news platform, a senior figure from Saint-Louis has fired back against criticism of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s political strategy. Abba Mbaye, a former legislator, had drawn parallels between Ousmane Sonko’s past tactics and the current administration’s efforts to consolidate support, sparking immediate pushback from local party leaders.
The response came from Modou Mbène Guèye, the Pastef coordinator in Saint-Louis, who dismissed the critique as politically tone-deaf. « His words reveal a clear case of political amnesia, » Guèye stated, arguing that Mbaye had contributed little to securing the election of President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko, despite previously opposing them. « He has no principles, no convictions—only ingratitude defines his actions, » he added.
Guèye went further, scrutinizing Mbaye’s past statements to highlight inconsistencies. As a deputy elected in July 2022 under the Yewwi Askan Wi banner, Mbaye had once claimed to owe nothing to anyone, a stance Guèye called hypocritical given earlier remarks criticizing Sonko for allegedly blocking his mayoral ambitions. He also recalled Mbaye’s disrespectful comments about the late Ousmane Tanor Dieng, a respected Socialist Party leader, as well as his controversial remarks during the installation of the 14th legislature.
The local party leader concluded by reaffirming Saint-Louis’s unwavering loyalty to Pastef, regardless of any potential benefits Mbaye might gain from aligning with the ruling camp. He emphasized ongoing efforts to energize the party’s base, citing the recent distribution of 3,750 membership cards in the commune, with a second phase of registration drives set to launch this Saturday, August 8th.