The Constitutional Council has declared inadmissible the bill aimed at regulating special funds, despite its adoption by the National Assembly led by former prime minister Ousmane Sonko and his Pastef MPS. This decision follows a challenge by the government of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, which argued that the text encroached upon the domain reserved for regulatory power under Articles 67 and 76 of the Constitution. The challenge was filed on 18th August by Prime Minister Mohamed Al Aminou Lô, leading to the suspension of parliamentary review of the bill. The case has reignited the institutional debate on the regulation of these sensitive funds and the division of powers between the executive and parliament.
Pastef chieftain Wally Diouf Bodiang launches scathing attack against activist Alioune Tine
Pastef chieftain and former Dakar port chief Wally Diouf-Bodiang has expressed his strong disagreement with comments by Alioune Tine, the head of the Afrikajom Centre that it is time for “the two main institutions of the country and the two leaders who embody them, namely the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and Ousmane Sonko, to engage in dialogue and find common ground” to ease the political tension in the country. Tine argued that it is necessary to move beyond a confrontation that “serves no purpose for the country”. But for the former director general of the Autonomous Port of Dakar, a member of Ousmane Sonko’s inner circle, there is no basis for dialogue. “Alioune Tine has a morbid obsession with dialogue. The institutions of the republic are all functioning normally, as in every country in the world. Political contradictions are normal in a democracy,” he added.
Special Funds: Kiiraay accuses Pastef of spending 3.7 billion CFA Francs from Casamance reconstruction funds ‘without justification’
The Kiiraay – Republican Patriots movement has launched a renewed offensive against Pastef regarding the special funds issue. The party accuses Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko of using 3.7 billion CFA francs from the Jamm Peace Account in Casamance between 2025 and 2026 “without any justification.” The statement criticises Sonko for providing only “vague” explanations for the use of these funds, mentioning the purchase of vehicles and the renovation of an administrative building at the Prime Minister’s Office — expenditures that Kiiraay considers unrelated to the stated objective of consolidating peace in Casamance. The party believes that transparency is applied “inconsistently” by the ruling party. The coordinator of Kiiraay, former prime minister, Aminata Touré, had already questioned Sonko on 18th August about the management of the “Jamm Fund,” established by decree in 2004 to finance a peace programme in Casamance under the authority of the Prime Minister’s office.
Tivaouane Gamou: Serigne Mansour Sy Dabakh calls for closer relations between Senegal and Morocco
During the official ceremony of the Tivaouane Gamou, Serigne Mansour Sy Dabakh, representing the Caliph General of the Tijaniyya Sufi order, called on Senegalese and Moroccan authorities to strengthen relations between the two countries. Addressing the government delegation led by the Minister of the Interior, Mouhamadou Makhtar Cissé, the religious leader specifically invited the President of the Republic of Senegal and the King of Morocco to meet in order to consolidate bilateral cooperation. “I ask the President of the Republic and the King of Morocco to meet to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Senegal is the King’s second home,” he declared. This appeal comes amid tensions arising from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, held in Rabat between Senegal and Morocco. Senegalese supporters had notably been convicted by the Moroccan courts before receiving a royal pardon. Faced with these tensions, several religious figures called for the preservation of the historical and spiritual ties between the two peoples. The Sheikh of the Tijaniyya Sufi order in Morocco also urged respect for the fraternal relations uniting Senegal and Morocco.