Bassirou Diomaye Faye: What The World Should Know About 44-year-old Senegal’s President-elect

Bassirou Diomaye Faye has emerged victorious in Senegal’s presidential election conducted March 24, 2024, making him the President-elect, Naija News reports.

The latest figures from the collated polls indicate that Faye, the opposition candidate, garnered approximately 53.7% of the votes, surpassing the ruling coalition’s candidate, Amadou Ba, who is said to have received 36.2%.

Naija News understands that both incumbent President Macky Sall and his anointed candidate, Ba, have congratulated Faye on his presidential victory.

It, however, becomes very crucial for Senegal and the world at large to understand these 14 amazing facts about Faye:

1. Faye was born in Ndiaganiao, M’Bour, Thies, Senegal, on 25 March 1980.

2. He previously held the position of General Secretary in the now-defunct political party PASTEF (Patriotes Africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité), which translates to African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity. The party was established in 2014 by Ousmane Sonko.

3. After obtaining his baccalaureate in 2000, Faye went on to achieve a master’s degree in law. He successfully passed both competitive exams and was admitted to the National School of Administration (ENA) and the magistracy in 2004.

4. Following his graduation, he joined the Tax and Estates department as a tax inspector, where he crossed paths with Sonko, a fellow alumni from the same school.

5. In 2014, Faye and Sonko’s bond strengthened within the Taxes and Estates Union, initiated by Sonko. During this period, Faye actively advocated for simplifying the process of homeownership for tax and property agents.

6. As the leader of PASTEF and Senegal’s primary opposition figure, Sonko publicly endorsed Faye as a presidential candidate in November 2023. This endorsement came amidst uncertainty surrounding Sonko’s own potential candidacy, despite the dissolution of PASTEF a few months earlier.

7. Faye endured more than 11 months of imprisonment due to a Facebook post that authorities considered subversive. Remarkably, he regained his freedom merely 10 days before the presidential election and still emerged victorious.

8. On March 15, 2024, Faye attracted hundreds of supporters at his initial public appearance as a presidential candidate, following an endorsement from Sonko and his release from jail.

9. On the same day, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and former President Abdoulaye Wade also backed Faye, enhancing his chances of winning the election.

10. Throughout his presidential campaign, Faye pledged to tackle unemployment, strongly opposed corruption, and promised to review energy agreements, all under the slogan “Diomaye mooy Ousmane” in Wolof, aiming to appeal to Senegal’s youth with Sonko’s popularity.

11. Faye, a close ally and friend of Sonko, gained popularity among Senegalese youth who sought a change from Sall’s administration.

12. Faye was arrested on April 14, 2023, outside his office in Dakar. The police detained him on charges of “spreading false information, contempt of court, and defamation of a legal entity” following a social media post.

13. Following their release from prison by President Macky Sall on March 14, just days before the election, Faye, Sonko, and others began campaigning, with Faye vowing to combat the “French economic dominance” in Senegal.

14. Faye, a tax inspector and lawyer, is married to two women – Marie Khone and Absa and has four children.

The post Bassirou Diomaye Faye: What The World Should Know About 44-year-old Senegal’s President-elect appeared first on Naija News.