Dakar — Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has reiterated his commitment to strengthening oversight and transparency around political funds, framing their regulation as a core pledge made to Senegalese citizens during the electoral campaign. While addressing this contentious issue, the head of government acknowledged a divergence in approach with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye regarding the management of these resources.

The debate surrounding political funds resurfaced following a May 2 interview with the Head of State at the Palais de la République. Bassirou Diomaye Faye defended the continuation of these funds while acknowledging their transparency challenges. The President emphasized their necessity for intelligence, national security, international solidarity, and the numerous demands placed on the state.

Addressing lawmakers, Ousmane Sonko underscored that the issue of political funds had been a long-standing reform priority for his political camp. “Since 2019, we have championed this debate on political funds. It was not imposed on us; we deemed all funds must be transparent,” he stated.

The Prime Minister clarified that his objective is not to abolish political funds but to subject them to rigorous oversight mechanisms, modeled after practices in established democracies. “We are not proposing to eliminate political funds, but they must be controlled like in countries such as France,” he asserted.

Sonko also stressed the importance of preserving public trust in the management of state resources. Referencing funds allocated to the Prime Minister’s office, he revealed a total of 1.77 billion CFA francs in political funds, emphasizing this debate is “not personal.” According to him, Senegalese citizens demand assurance that these funds will not be misused for political spoils or personal enrichment.

The government chief reiterated his dedication to accountability in public finance management. “No taxpayer’s money should evade scrutiny,” he declared, advocating for governance rooted in transparency and accountability. He also highlighted the legislative process for this reform, indicating a preference for an Executive-led initiative. Sonko revealed consultations with the President after a lawmaker, Guy Marius Sagna, proposed a bill on the matter. He announced plans to submit a draft law to the Council of Ministers if ongoing discussions fail to yield swift progress.