Four ministers face presidential ultimatum in Senegal over political alignment

This directive follows the political split between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, marked by Sonko's dismissal as Prime Minister in late May 2026 and his replacement by economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô. The four ministers, all former allies of Sonko and leaders of their own allied parties, have been navigating a delicate balance between remaining in government and avoiding a public break with Sonko. Their absence from the constitutive general assembly of Kiiraay, Les Patriotes Républicains, the new party supported by President Faye, on July 25, was interpreted as a significant political signal.

The presidency's message is clear: ministers must publicly support the presidential agenda and align with Kiiraay, or resign. This demand for institutional loyalty extends beyond the past power dynamics between the Palace and the Prime Minister's office, touching on personal consistency. The president's call for clarification is not new; weeks prior, APIX Chairman Lansana Gagny Sakho had criticized ministers who, while serving in government, acted like opposition figures.

This move is seen as the initial phase of a broader effort to consolidate control, with similar demands for clarification expected