During Pastef’s 48-hour event in Touba, Ousmane Sonko seized the opportunity to deliver sharp criticism against President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. His remarks primarily focused on the contentious management of the presidential ‘black fund’ or ‘caisse noire’. The leader of Pastef firmly asserted that his party operates independently of public funds, emphasizing a financing model built upon militant contributions.
At the Pastef 48-hour gathering held in Touba, Ousmane Sonko directed renewed censure towards President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This latest confrontation stems from ongoing disagreements regarding the administration of the presidency’s ‘caisse noire’. Sonko, while defending his party’s financial practices, underscored that Pastef, in his view, does not rely on state resources to fund its various activities.
“Pastef is not a party that draws from state coffers to finance its programs. That is ‘haram’ (forbidden or unethical) for us,” Sonko declared to his assembled supporters. This statement alludes to the persistent dispute between the two prominent figures concerning the presidential black fund. For several weeks, Ousmane Sonko has been vocal in his disapproval of this fund’s existence, arguing that it contradicts the principles of transparency they championed prior to assuming power.
In Touba, without explicitly naming the head of state, Sonko implied that these resources could potentially be used to solidify a political base in anticipation of upcoming electoral contests. He reiterated that Pastef, conversely, prioritizes contributions and donations from its dedicated militants. The Pastef president also took aim at critics questioning the successful membership card sales campaign of his party. Labeling certain political leaders as “aigris” (bitter or resentful), he used the Wolof proverb: “s’il n’y a pas de mort, dina am blessé,” an evocative phrase signifying that his political adversaries will not emerge unscathed from Pastef’s growing influence and momentum.