Senegal’s president launches new party KIIRAAY in Dakar

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has taken a significant political step by unveiling his new party, KIIRAAY – Les Patriotes Républicains, during a founding general assembly in Dakar on Saturday, July 25. The event, held at a capital city hotel, marks the president’s formal break from the African Party for Independence, Work, Ethics, and Fraternity (PASTEF), the movement that propelled him to victory in the March 2024 elections. The new party adopts the motto La Patrie d’abord (The Homeland First), signaling an immediate focus on national sovereignty and institutional strength.

Breaking away from Ousmane Sonko

The emergence of KIIRAAY comes amid growing public rifts between President Faye and his former mentor, Ousmane Sonko, who remains both the PASTEF leader and Prime Minister. Once seen as the dynamic duo behind Senegal’s political upheaval, the two figures have seen their paths diverge sharply in recent months, culminating in this organizational split. For the president, establishing his own party eliminates an increasingly uncomfortable political dependency and aligns the party structure with his presidential agenda.

The choice of name carries deliberate symbolism. In Wolof, kiiraay means protection, a stark contrast to the confrontational rhetoric long associated with PASTEF. Where the old party thrived on a sovereignty-through-rupture narrative, the new formation emphasizes patriotism, republicanism, and institutional stability. This semantic shift reflects the president’s repositioning toward a more institutional center of gravity as he consolidates power.

A patriotic and republican agenda

The roadmap presented by KIIRAAY centers on safeguarding national interests, strengthening republican institutions, and reinforcing the rule of law. These priorities, outlined during the founding assembly, signal a shift from protest politics to statecraft. The label Les Patriotes Républicains bridges two themes: an unwavering commitment to sovereignty—long a hallmark of the Faye-Sonko alliance since the 2022 legislative elections—and allegiance to republican norms, a message aimed at administrative, economic, and diplomatic elites.

This framing carries implications for Senegal’s international partners. Since assuming office, President Faye has signaled openness to development partners and investors while renegotiating key hydrocarbon and mining agreements. By launching a party explicitly centered on institutional stability, Dakar aims to reassure creditors and institutions like the International Monetary Fund of predictable policymaking, especially as Senegal seeks to maintain access to global financial markets.

Reshaping Senegal’s political landscape

The arrival of KIIRAAY immediately alters the balance of power. PASTEF, now stripped of presidential backing, retains strong grassroots support but loses the symbolic authority of the presidency. Traditional opposition groups—ranging from the Senegalese Democratic Party to factions within the Benno Bokk Yaakaar coalition—must recalibrate their strategies in response to a presidential majority now equipped with its own partisan backbone. The critical question remains: what share of PASTEF’s apparatus, particularly among the deputies elected in November 2024, will migrate to the new party?

The political calendar amplifies the stakes. Upcoming local elections and preparations for the 2029 presidential race will serve as the first real tests for KIIRAAY. The party must rapidly demonstrate its ability to build a grassroots network, articulate a distinct policy platform, and mobilize beyond the militant base inherited from the 2024 campaign. Practically, the contest will hinge on control of party resources, administrative networks, and regional economic ties.

For President Faye, the political equation is shifting from personal loyalty to the institutional construction of a presidential force. This move signals the beginning of a new chapter in Senegal’s political evolution.