President Kagame congratulated Senegal’s President-elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
President Paul Kagame joined other world leaders to congratulate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was earlier this week elected Senegal’s President and is set to replace incumbent Macky Sall, in a poll that saw the opposition triumph over the ruling coalition.
The Head of State used X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, to congratulate the 44-year old Faye, who was announced as the race leader on Monday, after he was declared the race leader, with the ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba conceding defeat early.
“My sincere congratulations to Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his election as President of Senegal. Your victory is a true testimony to the confidence of the Senegalese people, whom I congratulate for peacefully conducting the elections,” President Kagame said.
“I look forward to further strengthening the good relations between our two nations,” he added, joining other global and African leaders to congratulate Faye, who provisional results from the Sunday election show that he scored more than 54 percent of the vote, which prompted his rival to concede defeat.
In his acceptance speech, Faye, a political newcomer popular among disaffected youth, promised on Monday to govern with humility and transparency, thanking President Sall and other candidates for respecting Senegal’s democratic tradition by recognising his victory well before official results.
“In electing me, the Senegalese people have decided on a break with the past,” Faye told journalists in his first public appearance since the election. “I promise to govern with humility and transparency.”
Provisional results showed Faye with about 54 percent while Amadou Ba, from the current ruling coalition, scored about 36.2% based on tallies from 90% of polling stations in the first-round vote, the country’s electoral commission said.
It is an election that has excited many, with President Sall himself congratulating Faye, who has been seen as a young leader who brings optimism and hope, with many anticipating a smooth transition. Senegalese youth particularly rallied behind Faye, who is backed by fellow opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was barred from running due to a defamation conviction.
The two former tax inspectors, who were both released from jail this month, campaigned together under the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko”, promising to fight corruption and prioritise national economic interests. They have inspired hope among the country’s youth, with a promise of building a stronger economy for the West African country.
