The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has congratulated Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his inauguration as the new President of Senegal.
Mr. Faye’s historic victory at 44 makes him Africa’s youngest democratically elected president and opens a new chapter in Senegal’s political development.
Immediate former Presidents Macky Sall and his predecessor and mentor, Abdoulaye Wade, attempted tenure elongation but were only stopped by young, resilient Senegalese people.
The executive director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, in a press release said term elongation by democratically elected presidents is the newest form of ‘coups’ against democracy through ballot theft, unpopular constitutional amendments, and other state-sponsored techniques.
He said to the credit of Senegalese, President Faye’s victory resulted from their resilience and indomitable spirit. Therefore, the new president’s immediate task and best reward to Senegal must be initiating reforms to further secure and protect Senegal’s democracy against any future unconstitutional ‘takeover.’
“As the new president resumes office , CHRICED joins well-meaning Africans and friends of Africa to felicitate with the Senegalese people and call on the new president to rededicate the new administration to transparent, accountable, and responsible leadership, the rule of law, and respect for the rights and freedoms of Senegalese people as the immutable central value.”
