DAKAR — Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday and dissolved the government amid growing tensions within the ruling party, according to an announcement broadcast on state television.No official reason was immediately provided for the dismissal.Following the announcement, Sonko reacted in a post on his official social media platforms, writing: “Alhamdoulillah (All praise is due to God). Tonight, I will sleep with a light heart in the city of Keur Gorgui.”The move follows months of reported disagreements between Faye and Sonko, once close political allies within the ruling PASTEF party, which came to power in 2024.Relations between the two leaders reportedly deteriorated over disputes related to party control, governance and economic policy.According to available information, Faye exercised his constitutional powers to remove Sonko, citing the need to preserve national stability.A statement read by Secretary-General of the Presidency Oumar Samba Ba confirmed that the government had been dissolved and all ministers dismissed.“The members of the outgoing government are responsible for handling current affairs,” Ba said, adding that a new prime minister and cabinet would be appointed in the coming days.Sonko was appointed prime minister on April 2, 2024, just hours after Faye was inaugurated as president.The two leaders were initially viewed as a powerful mentor-protégé political alliance before divisions within the ruling movement deepened in recent months.
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