Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has taken a pivotal step, officially announcing the establishment of KIIRAAY – Les Patriotes Républicains, his own political party, on Saturday, July 25, in Dakar. This declaration, made during a constituent general assembly held in the capital, marks the Head of State’s political emancipation from the African Party for Independence, Labor, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF), the organization that brought him to power in March 2024. The newly formed party adopts the motto “La Patrie d’abord” (The Homeland First), immediately signaling a focus on national sovereignty and robust institutions.
A clear break from Ousmane Sonko
The emergence of KIIRAAY unfolds against a backdrop of public disagreements between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former mentor, Ousmane Sonko, who remains at the helm of PASTEF and serves as Prime Minister. Once viewed as complementary figures driving a shared wave of change, the paths of the two leaders have diverged in recent months, culminating in this now-formal organizational separation. For President Faye, creating his own party structure provides an escape from a political dependency that had become uncomfortable, equipping him with an apparatus aligned with his presidential decisions.
The choice of name carries significant symbolism. In Wolof, the term “kiiraay” evokes the concept of protection, a stance that contrasts sharply with the confrontational and protest-driven posture long embodied by PASTEF. While the former party cultivated a rhetoric of sovereignty through rupture, the new formation aims to articulate patriotism, republicanism, and institutional stability. This semantic shift reflects the Head of State’s repositioning towards a more institutional center of gravity as he consolidates his exercise of power.
A patriotic and republican stance
KIIRAAY’s outlined agenda emphasizes the defense of national interest, the strengthening of republican institutions, and the consolidation of the rule of law. These priorities, articulated during the constituent assembly, delineate a project less focused on protest and more oriented toward managing the state apparatus. The designation “Les Patriotes Républicains” seeks to reconcile two key registers: an unwavering commitment to sovereignty, a hallmark of the Faye-Sonko camp since the 2022 legislative elections, and fidelity to republican norms, a pledge extended to administrative, economic, and diplomatic elites.
This strategic framing is particularly relevant for Senegal’s international partners. Since assuming the presidency, Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sent numerous signals of openness to donors and investors, even as he pursues the renegotiation of certain strategic contracts in the hydrocarbon and mining sectors. The creation of a party explicitly centered on institutions aims to reassure stakeholders about the predictability of public action, especially as Dakar endeavors to maintain its access to financial markets and its relationship with the International Monetary Fund.
Reshaping the Senegalese political landscape
The advent of KIIRAAY inevitably reconfigures the balance of power. PASTEF, now without direct presidential endorsement, retains significant grassroots support but loses the symbolic leverage of the presidential palace. Traditional opposition parties, ranging from the Senegalese Democratic Party to structures inherited from the Benno Bokk Yaakaar coalition, must recalibrate their strategies in the face of a presidential majority now equipped with its own distinct partisan backbone. A key question remains: what proportion of the PASTEF apparatus, particularly among deputies elected in November 2024, will transition to the new structure?
The political calendar amplifies the stakes. Upcoming local elections and the preparations for the 2029 presidential ballot will serve as the first real-world tests for KIIRAAY. The party will quickly need to demonstrate its capacity to establish a territorial network, articulate a distinct programmatic offering, and mobilize beyond the activist base inherited from the 2024 campaign. Practically, the contest will also unfold over control of party resources, administrative relays, and regional economic networks.
For Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the political equation thus shifts from the realm of personal loyalty to the institutional construction of a powerful presidential force. This development ushers in a new political phase for Senegal.
