Amid intense lobbying, positioning disputes, and pressures from all sides, the formation of the new government promised by Diomaye Faye is at a standstill, four days after the appointment of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Old guard members, donors, political barons… everyone wants to influence the appointments.

Since President Bassirou Diomaye Faye handed over power on April 2nd, the list of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s government has not been published. Yet, Sonko had promised to submit the list to President Diomaye Faye shortly after his post-appointment speech. Since then, the Senegalese people have been waiting.

Ayib Daffe, deputy and interim secretary general of Pastef, has stated that there is no delay or in the formation of the new government, despite growing impatience among the population. He also clarified that positions in the new government will not be broad and cabinet will be completed at the appropriate time.

Our sources however report strong tensions and a toxic atmosphere at the Avenue Roume presidential Palace regarding the ongoing nominations. The promised change seems to be off to a rocky start!

After a 15-minute flag-raising military ceremony marking our country’s 64th Independence Day, Diomaye Faye retreated to offices to resume activities. Since last Tuesday, following the appointment of Pastef Les Patriotes party leader Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, as well as that of former minister under Macky Sall’s era, Marie Teuw Niane, as chief of staff to the president, and the reappointment of Oumar Samba Ba as secretary-general of the presidency, nothing seems to be happening at the Republic Palace except for squabbles and disputes, according to our sources.

Pastef, the anti-system leader, trapped by the System?

Pastef has always claimed radical opposition to the current political system, presenting itself as anti-establishment. According to the “Patriots,” the System represents the set of laws, regulations, practices, and people governing our country since 1960. A System that Pastef fiercely fought against until it came to power on March 24, 2024, through its candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, elected with a majority of over 54%.

Before Ousmane Sonko’s rise to power, several men and women from the System joined them in their radical fight against it, with the support of hundreds of political parties, movements of various ideological orientations, and notable personalities. Some justify this incomprehensible and inconsistent political stance by saying that addition, not subtraction, is needed, and that once in power, the entire system will be swept away with the magical broom brandished by candidate Diomaye Faye during his campaign. For now, this sweeping change is still awaited.

Moreover, the promised rupture, which should have started with the formation of the government, is nowhere to be seen, as it seems that we are still witnessing the same hesitations and bargaining that preceded Macky Sall’s government formations!

First nominations already scorching radical Pastef militants

Indeed, from the start of Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s pick, two prominent Macky Sall System ministers were at the top of the list. They include former minister Mary Teuw Niane, now turned a fervent support for Pastef since he left Macky Sall’s regime, and Oumar Samba Ba, another brilliant career civil officer who served Macky Sall as Secretary general.

These two nominations did upset several militants in Pastef WhatsApp groups, with heated discussions leading to some quitting the groups. Many of them are unsatisfied, at least for now, with the resilience of entrenched figures in the system so fiercely fought against by the Pastef anti-system movement.

Positioning disputes for entry into the government are reminiscent of the battles of the Apéristes (Macky Sall’s Followers) at the Palace, according to our sources. History seems to be repeating itself even as moral investigations and other procedures necessary before appointments to strategic government positions have not yet been addressed.

Instead, there are quarrels and lobbying struggles for ministerial positions, director-general roles, ambassadors, among others.

Despite the promise of a strong break from past bad practices to establish virtuous and prosperous governance, the margins are very limited for this new anti-system government led by Ousmane Sonko. He had promised to submit the list of proposals for the new government to the president within hours of his appointment.

However, more than 72 hours have passed without any cabinet being published. And the Senegalese are left to speculate. Donors who have invested morally and financially in the Pastef project want strategic ministries instead of the proposals intended for them.

Former political barons of the system, who campaigned with Pastef, are also exerting pressure and intensifying their lobbying to occupy sovereignty ministries in this nascent government.

The illiterate oligarchy rejects the dictatorship of diplomas imposed on the system to access certain positions, arguing that they fought, got imprisoned, and mobilized until Pastef’s victory without being asked for diplomas.

This oligarchy of the uneducated even enumerates its merits through its social actions, media activism, and other sacrifices for Pastef’s accession to power.

According to our sources, the Presidential Palace is also a place of lamentation for powerful businessmen who are vetoing and using their influence to ensure their teams enter this new government, which they do not intend to support from afar.

All these complex issues, combined with the existing dual leadership, do not make the current president’s task easy, despite his integrity and determination to deliver results in line with the promises made and the considerable hope placed on him by the entire Senegalese people, especially the youth.

In the coming hours, the cabinet list ought necessarily to be published to move from words to action after the reassuring and hopeful words of Bassirou Diomaye Faye for a just and prosperous Senegal.