Senegal’s little-known, 44-year-old opposition leader Bassirou Diomaye Faye appeared set Monday to become the country’s next president, less than two weeks after being released from prison to run in the election.While official results of Sunday’s vote were not yet available, the former prime minister who was the other frontrunner, and who was backed by incumbent President Macky Sall, conceded defeat based on preliminary results.
Faye’s expected victory reflected frustration among youth with high unemployment and concerns about governance in the West African nation. “Senegal has regained its former shine and has become once more an example for all of Africa,” Faye said in a statement published late Monday.
Faye, who was backed by popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko , has vowed to protect Senegal from corruption and interference from foreign powers like former colonial master France. Sonko, who was also released on March 14 after months in prison to jubilant celebrations in the capital, was barred from running due to a prior conviction and Faye ran in his place.
There was no immediate comment from the winning team, but a news conference was hastily scheduled to take place that evening. Sall, who triggered violent protests earlier this year when he unsuccessfully tried to postpone the election until the end of the year, also congratulated Faye in a statement. His former prime minister and the loser in the race, Amadou Ba, wished Faye success in a statement shared by his campaign team.