Political funds controversy reignites as Sonko’s past statements clash with his governance

The chairman of the Forum du Justiciable, Babacar Bâ, has once again taken a firm stance against what he describes as a glaring contradiction in the rhetoric of former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko regarding political fund transparency. In a public address, the human rights advocate highlighted the irony of Sonko’s current position as a self-proclaimed champion of integrity and sound governance, given that during his time as Prime Minister, he oversaw a political fund exceeding 1.7 billion CFA francs—a figure Sonko himself had previously acknowledged.

Babacar Bâ emphasized the unsustainability of this inconsistency, noting that Sonko had previously condemned what he termed as the State’s ‘black boxes’ of unaccounted funds. Yet, once in power, Sonko became the manager of the very mechanisms he once criticized. The coordinator of the Forum du Justiciable has made political fund transparency a recurring focal point in recent months, repeatedly demanding that the Presidency, Prime Minister’s office, and National Assembly disclose all received amounts and submit to audits by the Cour des comptes.

Bâ went further, describing Senegal’s governance as an institutional charade, urging the Senegalese people to awaken, unite, and reclaim control of their future. His impassioned call contrasts sharply with the typically technical tone of his previous appeals regarding public fund management.