Africa is Set to Have its Youngest Democratically-Elected President – Senegal’s Bassirou Diomaye Faye

Following the provisional result of the 2024 Senegal presidential elections on Sunday and after a conceding call from former Senegalese prime minister, Amadou Ba, 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to be the next president of Senegal.

The presidential elections held on Sunday, March 24, saw Faye leading in the polls against seventeen contenders, including prominent figures like Amadou Ba (age 62), a former minister of economy and finance and then foreign affairs, and also the Sall’s preferred successor, Idrissa Seck (age 64), a former prime minister and a 4-time presidential candidate and Khalifa Sall (age 68), the leader of the Taxawu Senegal coalition.

Early tallies from the Senegal Electoral Commission indicated Faye’s nearing victory, prompting a wave of congratulatory messages from opposition candidates. Notably, outgoing President Macky Sall praised the “smooth running” of the election, calling it a “victory for Senegalese democracy.”

Je salue le bon déroulement de l’élection présidentielle du 24 mars 2024 et félicite le vainqueur, M. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, que les tendances donnent gagnant. C’est la victoire de la démocratie sénégalaise.

— Macky Sall (@Macky_Sall) March 25, 2024

Amadou Ba also called Faye to concede defeat and congratulate him on his victory. “With regard to the provisional results and awaiting the official proclamation, I congratulate President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye for his victory in the first round. I wish him lots of success and success for the well-being of the Senegalese people.” Ba said in a statement.

Responding to the congratulatory messages in an address in Dakar, Faye said “I salute the approach of the other candidates who, without exception, have honoured a very Senegalese tradition without even waiting for the official results to be announced by the authorised state bodies. Their congratulatory messages are eloquent testimony to their greatness.”

At 44, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, is the youngest person to be the president of Senegal, below are more facts about him:

Born: March 25, 1980, in Ndiaganiao, Senegal.
Education: Earned a baccalaureate and a master’s degree in law. Enrolled at the prestigious National School of Administration (ENA) in 2004.
Early Career: Began his career as a tax inspector.
Political Ally: Close friend and ally of Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
PASTEF: Served as General-Secretary of the PASTEF party (Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité) founded by Sonko in 2014 (dissolved).
Imprisonment: He spent over 11 months in prison in 2023 for a social media post deemed subversive. Released 10 days before the presidential election.
Presidential Bid: Endorsed by Sonko as a presidential candidate in November 2023.
Campaign Promises: Focused on job creation, fighting corruption, and renegotiating energy contracts. Slogan: “Diomaye mooy Ousmane” (Wolof for “Diomaye is Ousmane”) to connect with Sonko’s youth base.
Electoral Victory: Won the 2024 presidential election, defeating incumbent president Macky Sall.
Personal Life: He is married to Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye, and has four children.