President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has revoked all appointments and decisions made by his predecessor, Macky Sall, during the last meeting of the Superior Council of the Judiciary on March 29, 2024. These decisions were nullified by a new presidential decree signed on April 3, 2024.

The news of the reversal was first posted by Madiambal Diagne, the owner of the Avenir Communication group on X.

A few days before leaving office, Macky Sall had appointed Justice Abdoulaye Ndiaye as the first President of the Supreme Court, replacing Ciré Aly Ba, and Seynabou Ndiaye Diakhaté as the first general attorney to the court.

Macky Sall’s nomination of justices Abdoulaye Ndiaye and Seynabou Ndiaye Diakhaté in the final days of his presidency has been viewed as contentious and opaque. Many Senegalese people think Macky Sall is endorsing people who would safeguard his interests when the new Senegalese government begins holding his reign accountable.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s swift action to reverse these appointments has been praised by civil society groups and legal experts in Senegal. They see it as a positive step towards restoring public trust in the judiciary and strengthening democratic institutions.

Critics, however, have accused Macky Sall of politicizing the judiciary and undermining its independence, further eroding public trust in the legal system.