Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko of Senegal has reaffirmed that the newly strengthened anti-homosexuality legislation will be strictly enforced nationwide.

Speaking during a parliamentary session on May 22, 2026, Sonko addressed persistent criticism from Western nations regarding Senegal’s decision to impose harsher penalties for same-sex acts.

The Prime Minister emphasized Senegal’s sovereignty, stating that the majority of the Senegalese people oppose such practices within their society.

“The Senegalese people are sovereign. In their overwhelming majority, they do not want certain practices to be accepted in Senegal,” Sonko declared.

Confronting Western “tyranny” on morality

In response to criticism from some African legal professionals, including Alice Nkom, Sonko argued that the law passed by Senegal’s National Assembly would be implemented in full.

“There exists a form of tyranny. We are eight billion people on Earth, yet there is a small group calling itself the West. Within this group, the debate is far from settled, yet because they possess resources and control the media, they seek to impose homosexuality on the rest of the world. On what grounds?” Sonko questioned, condemning what he described as Western ideological imposition.

He dismissed any possibility of a moratorium following the law’s enactment, firmly stating, “This law will be applied.”

Lawmakers adopted Law No. 2026-08 on March 27, 2026, amending Article 319 of the 1965 Penal Code to increase penalties for “unnatural acts.”

The updated legislation provides a precise definition of these acts, increases penalties, and criminalizes both the advocacy and financing of such behaviors.

The law specifies that “any sexual or sexually suggestive act between individuals of the same gender constitutes an unnatural act.” It also includes sexual acts committed by individuals of either gender on human corpses or animals.

Violators face imprisonment ranging from five to ten years and fines between 2,000,000 and 10,000,000 West African CFA francs, with additional penalties for cases involving rape or pedophilia.