Ousmane Sonko questions accountability in Senegal amid stalled projects

The Prime Minister of Senegal, Ousmane Sonko, convened an interministerial council on Thursday, May 21, where he delivered a scathing critique of the management of public funds under the previous administration led by Macky Sall. The meeting, reported in local press, revealed staggering figures of financial mismanagement and stalled development projects.

Audit exposes massive waste in Senegalese infrastructure

The government’s audit of public assets and infrastructure painted a grim picture. According to the findings, 245 infrastructure projects and strategic assets remain either unfinished, abandoned, or underutilized, with an estimated loss exceeding 5,000 billion CFA francs—a sum equivalent to Senegal’s annual national budget. Sonko described the situation as “unfathomable,” highlighting that some estimates even match the country’s total public debt.

Among the most glaring cases is the Sandiara high school, a project initiated in 2014 that remains incomplete after 12 years. The Prime Minister expressed outrage, calling it an “aberration” in a nation where education is a priority. The broader picture is equally troubling: out of 94 ongoing construction projects nationwide, 62 have ground to a halt, swallowing over 5,227 billion CFA francs in wasted resources.

Accountability and judicial concerns

Sonko did not limit his criticism to financial inefficiency. He also raised serious concerns about the judiciary’s role in protecting officials from the former regime accused of embezzlement. “Sometimes, I have my doubts. I wonder if it’s worth continuing. In this country, you can do anything and still be protected. The system remains untouched,” he declared during the council meeting.

The Prime Minister accused magistrates of engaging in “judicial sabotage,” suggesting that cases of corruption are being deliberately stalled. “These cases do not belong to the magistrates but to the people,” he emphasized, warning of a potential escalation in his public statements in the coming weeks.

The remarks underscore growing tensions between Senegal’s current leadership and the remnants of the previous administration, as well as within the country’s judicial system.