From now on, we’ll be talking about the past! The Pastef party is no longer a legally recognised political organisation. The Minister of the Interior has dissolved it by decree. Antoine Félix Diome accuses Sonko and Co of having called for insurrection.

The Pastef party is no longer a political organisation recognised by the State. The Minister of the Interior, by decree no. 2023-1407 of 31 July 2023, dissolved the party on the following grounds: « Through its leaders and authorities, the Pastef party has frequently called on its supporters to take part in insurrectionary movements, which has had serious consequences, including the loss of many human lives, numerous injuries, and acts of ransacking and looting of public and private property. The most recent were the serious disturbances of public order recorded in the first week of June 2023, following those in March 2021. » As a result, Antoine Félix Diome considers that « following these events, which constitute a serious and permanent breach of the obligations of political parties, and in accordance with the provisions of article 4 of the Constitution and article 4 of law n°81- 17 of 6 May 1981 relating to political parties, amended by law n°89- 36 of 12 October 1989, the Pastef political party is dissolved by decree n°2023-1407 of 31 July 2023 ». This is the second time a political party has been dissolved, after the African Party for Independence (Pai) in the 1960s.

Placed Under Warrant: Sonko Behind Closed Doors

This decision sounds the death knell for the « Project » that so many leaders have sold to the Senegalese people. Created on 6 February 2016, the Pastef party made a name for itself very early on by initially advocating a political overhaul. 

Ousmane Sonko came to the fore very early on. His favourite themes were management and taxation. A tax inspector, Ousmane Sonko began denouncing companies that benefited from tax exemptions, at the same time making the connection with the authorities. They are painted as « white-collar bandits who are only there for their own crypto-personal interests ».

In his media appearances, Sonko positioned himself as a whistleblower, and is leading his party in this direction. The Pastef party is making a name for itself and refining its image by denouncing the authorities and institutions of the Republic that fail to pay taxes. He sought to position itself as the messiah in the eyes of the general public. The National Assembly, Youssou Ndour, management of hydrocarbon exploration contracts, etc., the Pastef party is forcing Boun Abdallah Dionne’s government to explain itself and Sonko is beginning to impose a duel by designating the Head of State as his alter ego. From that moment on, nothing will be the same. Over a year after the creation of the Pastef party, Sonko was removed from the civil service by presidential decree. His party jumped at the chance to win the sympathy of the people of Senegal.

Sonko’s Imprisonment and the Dissolution of Pastef: The Opposition Stands Up Against Macky

Unfortunately, this did not have the desired effect. As part of its drive to renew the political class, the Pastef party chose to go into the 2017 legislative elections relying solely on personalities from the social networks. This strategy turned out to be a flop. Ousmane Sonko was the only candidate to win a seat as a Member of Parliament, with a record 37,000 votes.

In the Hemicycle, the leader of the « Patriots » enjoys media exposure and does not deprive himself of it. He forced the duel with Macky Sall and set about « ridiculing his ministers ». In the process, new faces emerged and his party became a « good client » of the media.

In 2019, the Pastef party, not wanting to repeat the same mistake it made during the legislative elections, took on the satellite parties of the Left to form the 2019 coalition. Sonko came 3rd in his first Presidential election behind Idrissa Seck and Macky Sall. The Pastef party is considered to be the big winner of the election. For its first participation, the party, although helped by other political formations, totalled more than 687 thousand votes. A leap forward that has established the Pastef party as a major force on the Senegalese political scene. Even if some political analysts wanted to qualify the score by pointing out the absence of Karim Wade and Khalifa Sall, Sonko and his Pastef party are continuing in the same vein, using social networks like nobody else. Their outbursts are followed by thousands of Internet users. Their discourse is becoming radical and changing according to the circumstances. Between the « shooting of former presidents » and the rapprochement with Wade, the Pastef party preaches the false in order to obtain the real. The popularity of its leader shields the party from criticism, especially on the internet. They use false accounts and desecrate those whom Senegal had elevated to the rank of religious guides. It was undoubtedly this approach that led to the dissolution of the Pastef party. You don’t need a doctorate in computer science to find subversive messages or incitement to violence on the net. The famous « Gatsa-Gatsa » is proof of this. With this dissolution, the « Project » is seriously compromised.

By Malick GAYE / mgaye@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH / Serigne S. DIAGNE