Pastef’s internal strife threatens Ziguinchor’s stability
Ziguinchor — What began as whispered rivalries within Pastef has erupted into a full-blown political standoff, threatening the party’s future in its historic stronghold. At the heart of the turmoil: a bitter clash between Djibril Sonko, the city’s mayor, and his deputy, Bassirou Coly, whose ambitions have exposed deep fissures within the party’s ranks.
Once considered a model of unity, Pastef now faces an unprecedented crisis in Ziguinchor, where internal rivalries have spilled into the open. The spark? A political gathering in Soucoupapaye, intended to rally militants ahead of the 2027 local elections. Instead, it laid bare the cracks threatening the party’s cohesion in the south.
The divide pits Djibril Sonko’s supporters—who tout his institutional track record—against a faction led by Bassirou Coly, who has openly hinted at challenging Sonko’s mayoralty in the upcoming vote. Coly’s camp frames the dispute as a search for renewal, while Sonko’s allies accuse him of undermining the party’s progress.
Fragile unity exposed
The conflict centers on control of Ziguinchor’s municipal leadership, a prize symbolic of Pastef’s dominance in the region. Local figures like Toussaint Manga and Professor Alassane Diédhiou have been drawn into the fray, with both sides trading barbs over legitimacy and vision for the city. Coly’s camp insists on party democracy, while Sonko’s faction warns against destabilizing the municipality’s development momentum.
For grassroots militants, the spectacle is alarming. Ziguinchor is more than a city—it’s a barometer of Pastef’s strength in the south. Losing its grip here could signal broader trouble ahead of the 2029 presidential race, with the 2027 locals serving as a critical test. Calls for restraint are growing, but the divisions run too deep to ignore.
As the infighting intensifies, the party’s ability to maintain its foothold in its historic bastion hangs in the balance. The question now: Can Pastef heal its rifts before the stakes grow even higher?
