At just 44 years old, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a Senegalese politician, is poised to make history as the youngest elected leader on the African continent.
Faye’s remarkable journey to the presidency began amidst adversity, with reports emerging that he was in prison just 10 days before the election. Despite this setback, Faye emerged as the frontrunner in the race.
His main rival, Amadou Ba, representing the ruling coalition, initially suggested the possibility of a runoff election.
However, as Faye’s lead continued to widen, Ba conceded victory in Sunday’s presidential elections, according to a government official quoted by the BBC.
The news of Faye’s impending victory sparked jubilation among his supporters, who took to the streets of Dakar, the capital city, to celebrate his anticipated triumph.
The election itself marked a significant moment for Senegal, with millions of citizens participating in a peaceful voting process to select the country’s fifth president. The past three years were marked by political turbulence, culminating in violent protests and increased opposition sentiment.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a former tax inspector and General Secretary of the dissolved PASTEF party, stepped into the political arena to fill the void left by disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko.
Sonko’s disqualification added complexity to an already diverse field of 19 presidential hopefuls.
Notably, incumbent President Macky Sall did not seek reelection, breaking with tradition in Senegalese politics.
His ruling coalition nominated Amadou Ba, 62, as its candidate, setting the stage for a competitive electoral contest.
With a registered voter population of 7.3 million out of Senegal’s over 18 million inhabitants, voter turnout reached approximately 71 percent, as reported by Senegal’s State TV.
