Senegal: Bassirou Diomaye Faye Launches 'KIIRAAY,' Cementing Break with Ousmane Sonko

Since his election in March 2024, Bassirou Diomaye Faye had governed Senegal under the PASTEF banner, the party founded by Ousmane Sonko, the figure instrumental in his victory. On Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Dakar, the head of state broke with this arrangement by launching his own political formation, 'KIIRAAY – Les Patriotes Républicains,' during a constitutive general assembly held at a hotel in the capital, according to Financial Afrik. The new party has adopted the motto 'The Homeland First' and describes itself as focused on defending national interests, strengthening republican institutions, and consolidating the rule of law, the source specifies. This launch opens a phase of uncertainty for the ruling coalition: realignment of alliances, redistribution of parliamentary support, and repositioning of officials previously affiliated with PASTEF. For investors and Senegal's economic partners, the stability of governance after this split will be closely watched, particularly amid an IMF program and ongoing debt management. This split raises questions about the solidity of the Faye-Sonko duo that carried the 2024 political shift: personal ambitions, strategic disagreements, or simple tactical reorganization? The single available source does not yet allow for conclusions on the exact motivations or the resulting power balance within the state apparatus.