Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has officially unveiled his new political party, “Kiiraay, Les Patriotes republicains” (Kiiraay, the Republican Patriots), during a founding assembly in Dakar. The party emerged from the Diomaye President Coalition, which supported Faye’s candidacy in the March 2024 Presidential election. At the assembly, the party’s founding documents were endorsed, and its motto, “The Homeland First,” was revealed.
In Wolof, “Kiiraay” signifies protection, shelter, or a shield. The party aims to unite political parties, movements, and individuals who endorse the President’s agenda, as per party officials cited by Xinhua news agency. Former Prime Minister Aminata Toure, appointed by Faye to consolidate his supporters under a single political entity, oversaw the party’s establishment.
The launch of Faye’s party occurs amidst a political divergence between Faye and Ousmane Sonko, his former Prime Minister who now heads the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity (PASTEF) as the President of the National Assembly. Faye, a former Secretary-General of PASTEF, relinquished the position upon assuming the Presidency in 2024.
