Sénégal: Bassirou Diomaye Faye Launches ‘Kiiraay’, His New Party, and Opens a New Chapter in Politics

The President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, officially launched his new political formation, “Kiiraay – Les Patriotes Républicains”, on Saturday, July 25 at Dakar, marking a new step in the reconfiguration of Senegal’s political landscape after his split with the PASTEF party, led by his now-former mentor Ousmane Sonko.

Announced during the constitutive general assembly held in an hotel on the square, the new party adopted the motto “La Patrie d’abord”, asserting a centrism focused on defending national interests, strengthening republican institutions and consolidating the State of Law.

In the Wolof language, “Kiiraay” means “what protects”, a choice presented by the initiators as the symbol of a political formation destined to accompany the president’s governance project and to federate forces favorable to his vision of transforming Senegal.

Following the assembly, delegates unanimously elected Bassirou Diomaye Faye to the presidency of the new party. This decision marks a change in his political position, after having left the directorial functions of Pastef at the beginning of his presidential term.

The resolution read by Aminata Touré, General Supervisor of the former coalition Diomaye President, states that the creation of Kiiraay results from the fusion of 437 parties, movements and associations united around a common project aiming to support the reforms implemented by the head of state and the ambitions of development in the country.

Beyond its political scope, the birth of this new formation is closely watched by international partners, investors and development actors. In a context where Senegal pursues the implementation of its Vision Sénégal 2050 strategy, institutional stability and governance clarity remain crucial factors to reinforce market confidence, attract investments and consolidate international partnerships.

The launch of Kiiraay thus opens a new sequence in Senegalese politics, likely to redefine the balance within the presidential majority as well as the opposition, ahead of upcoming elections, while influencing the framework for future economic and institutional reforms in the country.