Meet Senegal’s Diomaye Faye, One of the Youngest Presidents in Africa and a Friend of Ruto

                                                                                         DIOMAYE FAYE PROFILE

Diomaye Faye Biography

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye was born on March 25, 1980, in Ndiaganiao, Senegal. He is a finance inspector and statesman who became the President of Senegal on April 2, 2024.

Faye entered politics in 2014, co-founding the Patriotic Senegalese Party for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity (PASTEF).

In October 2022, he was appointed Secretary-General of PASTEF, where he played a key role in strengthening the party’s structure and political strategy.

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At 44 years old, Faye made history as one of the youngest presidents in Africa. Upon taking office, he appointed Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister on the same day. His election came during a period of intense political tension, as his predecessor Macky Sall faced criticism for attempting a third term despite constitutional limits.

Political Career

Before the election, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, head of the PASTEF party, faced several legal charges, including defamation and a morals-related case, which many viewed as politically motivated. His supporters believed the government was trying to block his path to the presidency.

Faye, who is Sonko’s close ally and Secretary-General of PASTEF, was arrested in April 2023 for allegedly spreading false information and defaming public officials after criticizing the government on social media.

Their arrests led to widespread protests across Senegal and raised fears about the country’s state of democracy.

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Both were released just days before the 2024 presidential election, allowing Faye to run after Sonko was barred from contesting.

Education

Faye began his education at Ndiaganiao Primary School before joining middle and high school in M’Bour. In 2000, he completed his baccalaureate (high school diploma) and pursued a master’s degree in law at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. In 2004, he passed national entrance exams to join the National School of Administration (ENA), specializing in taxation and public administration.

After graduating, he started his career as a tax officer in the Department of Taxes and Estates, where he met Ousmane Sonko, a colleague who would later become his political ally.

Professionally, Faye is known as a public finance inspector and trade unionist, having served as Secretary-General of the Tax and Domain Union.

Outside his professional career in taxation, law, finance, and economics, Bassirou Diomaye Faye enjoys writing poetry and engaging in agricultural activities.

During his free time, particularly in the rainy season, he tends to his village farm, where he cultivates papayas and keeps livestock.

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