President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal unveiled a new government on Monday, a move that surprisingly included some members and allies from Ousmane Sonko’s Pastef party, despite the party’s explicit announcement that it would not participate in the administration.
This cabinet reshuffle comes just over a week after President Faye, himself a former Pastef member, removed Ousmane Sonko from his position as Prime Minister. Sonko has since assumed the role of President of the National Assembly.
The political landscape in Senegal has been marked by escalating tensions between the two leaders for several months, plunging the nation into a period of political uncertainty while it grapples with a significant financial crisis.
Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô has stepped into the role of Prime Minister, succeeding Ousmane Sonko. On Monday, Lô presented a list of 30 ministers for the new government. Notably absent from this list were several prominent figures from the ruling Pastef party who had served in the previous administration.
Just moments before the government announcement, Ousmane Sonko, the leader of Pastef, publicly declared on social media that his party would not be joining the new government.
“Disagreement”
“A lengthy discussion took place this morning between the President of the Republic and myself, as party President. While points of convergence were confirmed, significant disagreements emerged, particularly concerning the role and position of the majority within the executive framework,” the statement detailed.
The communiqué further explained, “Following a feedback meeting with party bodies, new proposals were submitted to the President of the Republic, but these did not receive a favorable response. Consequently, PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not be participating in the forthcoming government and will not have any ministerial representation.”
Despite this clear declaration from Sonko, the new cabinet includes less prominent Pastef members and allies. Among them are Moussa Bala Fofana, appointed Minister of Urbanism, and Yankhoba Diémé, who will oversee the Armed Forces portfolio.
President Faye also opted to retain several ministers from the previous government. These include Cheikh Diba as Minister of Finance, Moustapha Mamba Guirassy as Minister of Education, and Cheikh Tidiane Dièye in charge of Sanitation.
Prime Minister Amadou Al Aminou Lô confirmed that the new government was established after “customary consultations with all relevant individuals,” including Pastef party leader Ousmane Sonko.
Speaking during the live broadcast of the list on the public channel RTS, Lô emphasized, “The President of the Republic wishes to reiterate that, under all circumstances, a statesman must ensure that the homeland and the Republic always take precedence over any partisan considerations.”
New political direction
This development signifies a pivotal new direction following the political split between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko. These long-standing allies had previously campaigned together under the popular slogan “Sonko mooy Diomaye” (Sonko is Diomaye in Wolof), leading to their victory in the March 2024 presidential election.
However, noticeable differences between the two leaders have surfaced over the past several months, culminating in their inevitable separation after Sonko’s dismissal in late May. As the undisputed head of their party, which holds a strong majority in the National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko has since been comfortably elected as President of the Parliament.
Sonko, who was barred from running for president due to a defamation conviction, had endorsed his close associate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to contest the election in his stead. Despite their shared political journey, divergences began to emerge.
Tensions first became apparent in July 2025 when the then-Prime Minister Sonko sharply criticized President Faye, citing a “problem of authority” within the nation. In early May, President Faye publicly voiced his disapproval of his former Prime Minister’s “excessive personalization” of power within the ruling party.