Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s participation in the patriotic walking event, spearheaded by Dakar Mayor Abass Fall on Sunday, May 17, 2026, concluded earlier than anticipated. The event was themed “the march towards 2029.”
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the head of government found it impossible to continue the march alongside other attendees due to significant overcrowding and a lack of order at the location.
Mayor Abass Fall of Dakar expressed profound disappointment regarding the situation, openly criticizing the indiscipline displayed by certain participants.
“We face a genuine challenge,” the Mayor stated. “It is unacceptable to invite a high authority here only for people to behave without discipline. This is not right. We gathered for a walk, yet why can’t people maintain order? He departed because of this very issue.”
When pressed by a journalist about the fervent affection shown by supporters towards Ousmane Sonko, Abass Fall retorted, “Affection must be coupled with intelligence. One needs to be intelligent. This is a serious problem!”