The rift between the Pastef party and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye continues to be a major point of discussion in Senegal’s political landscape. Amid calls from some ruling party activists for the head of state’s expulsion, Ousmane Sonko has indicated that the party’s official bodies will address the matter “at the appropriate time.”

Speaking on Monday, June 15, the President of the National Assembly highlighted Pastef’s organized and structured nature, emphasizing that any potential decision must adhere to the party’s established regulations.

“That will be assessed when the time comes. Pastef is a very structured, very organized party. It has very clear texts on the procedures to follow and on the grievances to examine before talking about the exclusion of anyone. The party is not me. It is the institutions that will assess when the time is right,” Ousmane Sonko stated.

The Pastef leader was quick to add, however, that no such action is currently being considered. “We are not there yet,” he clarified.

Sonko sidesteps accusations of ‘betrayal’

When questioned about accusations of “betrayal” leveled against President Diomaye Faye, Ousmane Sonko declined to use the word, choosing to frame the disagreement in political rather than moral terms.

“The notions of betrayal are more in the realm of morality and emotion. I prefer to position myself on political ground,” he explained.

According to him, a number of promises made to the Senegalese people have not been fulfilled. More concerning, he feels there is no genuine desire to implement them.

“I believe today that some of the commitments we made to the Senegalese people are not being respected and that there is no will to respect them. As for betrayal, I leave that to the domain of morality,” concluded the former Prime Minister.

Persistent friction within the government

These remarks come at a time of significant friction among the different factions of Senegal’s leadership. For several weeks, Pastef officials and activists have criticized President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for what they see as a departure from the political project that brought the party to power.

Despite these criticisms, Ousmane Sonko is currently prioritizing the party’s internal mechanisms and is ruling out any rushed decisions concerning the head of state.