Senegal's Supreme Court rejects request for special funds information from Prime Minister Sonko and Finance Minister Diba

The administrative order, issued on April 16, 2026, by the administrative chamber's interim relief judge, found that several legal conditions were not met to compel the disclosure of information from Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and Finance Minister Cheikh Diba. Dème had initiated the procedure on April 7, 2026, citing the law on access to information, which guarantees citizens the right to obtain information held by public authorities. He argued that the lack of response to his requests, first made on January 6, 2026, violated the fundamental right to information enshrined in international instruments like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

Dème emphasized that budgetary transparency is crucial for good governance and public oversight of resource management, and that administrative authorities are required to respond to requests within fifteen days. However, the Supreme Court ruled the request inadmissible, citing two main reasons: a lack of demonstrated urgency and the failure to engage in a mandatory preliminary procedure. The court stated that Dème did not prove how the absence of the requested information harmed his personal or financial rights, and noted that finance laws are publicly available in the Official