The controversy surrounding political funds has ignited fierce debates across Senegal’s political landscape. On television studios, social media platforms, and public forums, politicians, former ministers, and lawmakers are locked in heated discussions over a matter that has exploded into the public eye. The core question remains: who, prior to Ousmane Sonko, truly received discretionary envelopes allocated to the Prime Minister’s office, and how were these funds utilized?
Breaking point: the fiery remarks of Aly Ngouille Ndiaye
This debate intensified following a bold statement from former Interior Minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye during his appearance on SenTV. Known for his outspoken nature, he declared that Ousmane Sonko is the first Senegalese Prime Minister to benefit from dedicated political funds: « In reality, he is the first head of government to have had access to them. I was never Prime Minister, but there are former Prime Ministers still among us who can attest to this. Only Boun Abdallah Dionne, who has since passed away, did not receive such funds. It all started with Sonko. Amadou Ba did not have access to these funds because he was replaced by Sidiki Kaba, who did not hold the post long enough to benefit from them. »
Ndiaye also addressed the widely cited figure of 1.7 billion CFA francs Sonko claims to have received, highlighting persistent uncertainty over its frequency: « Some say it was quarterly, others annually. If annual, Sonko would have received around 8 billion. Yet I know the first 1.7 billion CFA francs were already depleted. If it were annual and exhausted within a quarter, that would be extremely rapid. » He echoed claims by the Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Abdourahmane Diouf, that the initial allocation was entirely spent before Sonko requested additional funds. For Ndiaye, this raises critical questions: « In parliamentary commissions of inquiry, he should have included his own case for transparency’s sake. There are even things I know I cannot disclose here. »
Counterclaims: former Prime Ministers challenge the narrative
The former minister’s remarks sparked immediate backlash on social media, where viral archival videos contradicted his version. The most striking testimony came from Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye, the last Prime Minister under Abdoulaye Wade, who stated on the « Faram Facce » show in April 2025: « Even when I was Director of the President’s Cabinet, I already had political funds. Every month-end, I received my allocation. » This revelation places the existence of these funds far earlier than Sonko’s tenure—back to his time as Director of the President’s Cabinet. Observers argue this alone undermines Ndiaye’s claim that Sonko pioneered the system.
Additional testimonies attributed to former Prime Ministers Macky Sall and Idrissa Seck, who served under Wade, further complicate the narrative. Social media users also recalled a memorable incident where Wade allegedly used his own presidential political funds to assist his Prime Minister with certain expenses.
Pastef’s response: « baseless allegations »
The government’s official response came from Elimane Pouye, CEO of the Société de Gestion et d’Exploitation du Patrimoine bâti (SOGEPA SN), who dismissed the claims as « baseless. » He urged comparisons of the Prime Minister’s budgets for 2023, 2024, and 2025, arguing that variations were due to institutional changes rather than the existence of funds. Pouye emphasized that the debate should focus on how predecessors used these funds rather than their amounts or frequency.
Proponents of Pastef countered that the party had long denounced the lack of oversight over these funds, with reforms proposed as early as 2019—long before Sonko’s premiership in 2024. This suggests the practice predates Sonko and is part of a broader, documented issue.
Unearthing the historical truth of political funds
To move beyond the current controversy, parliamentary records reveal a stark historical progression: political funds ballooned from approximately 650 million CFA francs under Abdou Diouf to nearly 8 billion under Abdoulaye Wade. A 2008-2012 report by the State General Inspectors (IGE) disclosed that 108 billion CFA francs of political funds were spent during this period, with 48 billion unaccounted for in public financial records. Another notable case is the National Local Development Program (PNDL), a 100 billion CFA franc fund entrusted to the Prime Minister’s office, which became the subject of an investigation into Idrissa Seck’s management of the program and alleged illicit enrichment, including properties in Saly and Atlanta.
Calls for legal oversight intensify
The demand for transparency has gained traction in legislative circles. Deputy Guy Marius Sagna revealed he submitted a bill in September 2025 to create a « Commission for Verifying Political Funds, » initially proposing it to Ousmane Sonko, then leader of Pastef. Sonko reportedly asked him to delay, preferring a government-led reform. Sagna later claimed Sonko expanded the bill to include stricter oversight, though he criticized the President for maintaining the status quo.
Deputy Thierno Alassane Sall, a former Minister of Energy known for his 2017 resignation over transparency issues, went further, calling political funds « theft » due to their lack of parliamentary approval. He distinguished these from presidential intelligence funds, which he argued should not be conflated with the disputed envelopes.
However, not all voices align. El Hadj Momar Samb, Secretary-General of the RTA-S, accused the parliamentary majority of opportunism, noting that many current members held high-ranking positions without pushing for oversight earlier. While supporting transparency, he advocated for broader parliamentary control, including oversight of the National Water Company (ONAS), oil revenues, Matam region funds, and indemnities for political crisis victims.
Official stance: regulating rather than eliminating
When questioned in May, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye defended the continuation of these funds, citing their role in intelligence and social solidarity. He argued that outright abolition would create a void in addressing urgent social needs. Ousmane Sonko, echoing this stance, ruled out elimination but supported regulation, citing the 1.77 billion CFA francs allocated to the Prime Minister’s office in his address to the National Assembly on May 22, 2026.
The extraordinary parliamentary session that opened on August 10, 2026, reflects this tension. Urgency proceedings are underway to examine a bill regulating special credits and secret funds, alongside a constitutional amendment on asset declarations for the President. This debate underscores the persistent divide between an entrenched institutional practice—documented across regimes from Abdou Diouf to the present—and the transparency demands of the current administration since 2024.
