Osman Sonko, a Senegalese opposition politician born in 1974, is supported by the younger generations and marginalized circles. He became famous for his slogan of fighting corruption and confronting the embezzlement of public funds, and after he ranked third in the presidential elections in 2019, he grabbed the limelight and took the lead in the political scene. 

Birth and upbringing

Osman Sonko was born on July 15, 1974 in the city of Thies, 72 km east of the capital, Dakar. He spent years of his childhood in the Sibekotani region (45 km east of the capital, Dakar), where his father was an employee in some government departments.

After that, he moved to the Casamance region, where he grew up and was raised on the impact of the multiplicity of nationalities and the coexistence of rebellion and disagreements.

Study and formation

Sonko received his early education in different schools before settling in Casamance where he obtained his high school diploma in 1993.

After that, he moved to Gaston Berger University in Saint Louis and graduated with a master's degree (university degree meaning 4-year study after high school) in public law in 1999.

In the same year, he participated in the competition to enter the National School of Administration, and ranked first nationally, and graduated in 2001 with the position of inspector in finance and taxes.

In 2003, he obtained a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Public Finance and Taxes from the University of Sheikh "Anta Job" in Dakar, and he also obtained a Master's degree in Public and Financial Administration from the Higher Institute of Finance.

He is also preparing for his Ph.D. in Economic Law and Taxation from Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University in France.

Osman Sonko, head of the "Bastef" party, delivers a press statement in Ziguinchor on July 3, 2022, ahead of the parliamentary elections (French)

political experience

At an early stage of his life, when he was a student at Gaston Berger University, he got involved in union and political work, as he was active and active in the Association of Muslim Students and Students in Senegal.

Although "Sonko" hails from socially and geographically marginalized parties, and has no connections or influence with the Senegalese political system, he was able, with his vitality and struggle, to reserve a place in the political arena and the heart of events while he was still in the youth stage.

His interest in public affairs began to materialize on the ground when he established an independent federation of tax agents in 2005, a body through which he revealed many financial abuses and mismanagement in public administration in Senegal.

Founding of the Bastif Party

After years of working in public administration, founding a syndicate of tax and financial agents, and highlighting financial corruption at the level of taxation and budget implementation, he founded the "Patriots for Work, Ethics and Fraternity" party known as "Pastev".

The party gathered many young talents working in the public office and in the private sector, and included in its leadership bodies faces that were not known for practicing politics, and in a short period of time it became a destination for young people and activists on social media.

The party does not adopt a pattern of traditional ideologies such as liberalism, socialism and communism, but rather focuses on its belief in public and individual freedoms.

Sonko is trying to distinguish his party from the traditional political formations in Senegal by focusing on the youth and being close to the fragile and vulnerable groups.

confrontation with the system

After founding the Bastev party and focusing his speech on government corruption in financial issues, criticizing parliamentarians and describing them as failure and ignorance in financial management issues, he became an opponent of power and an embarrassment to the symbols of the system, so President Macky Sall decided to strip him of his job under Presidential Decree No. 1239-2016 on charges of violating the right of reservation. .

Immediately after he was stripped of his job, he decided to run in the legislative elections at the top of his party's list, so he entered parliament during the 2017 elections.

On September 16, 2018, he submitted his candidacy for the 2019 presidential elections, ran the race and came third behind President Macky Sall and politician Idris Sec, with 15.67% of the Senegalese vote.

In practice, Sonko became the leader of the opposition after Idris Sik was appointed head of the Economic and Social Council, and became part of the ruling regime.

On March 3, 2021, Sonko appeared before the court in the capital, Dakar, on charges of rape, after a worker in a health massage parlor filed a complaint against him, but he rejected all the charges against him and considered them malicious aimed at discrediting him and undermining his status.

Coinciding with his trial, mass demonstrations took place in Dakar and some Senegalese cities, led by his supporters, and a number of dead and wounded people were killed.

And on the impact of popular protests and mediations led by the sheikhs of the Muridian Order and the Union of Preachers and Imams in Senegal, he was released, but he was prevented from participating in the legislative elections in July 2022.

The leader of Bastif has strong relations with Sheikh Sirin Mbaki (one of the sheikhs of the Muridiyya order), as well as the Union of Imams and Preachers and the Abd al-Rahman group. He also records his presence in mosque circles, adopts a religious discourse, and gathers around him a number of religious youth.

Osman Sonko was prevented from participating in the legislative elections in July 2022 (French)

position of France

Sonko believes that France is the first plunderer of African wealth, looks down on Senegal, and calls for equal relations based on win-win partnership.

In multiple media interviews, he said that he does not adopt a hostile stance against France, but rather calls for a fruitful partnership and relations that respect African privacy. He also called for more economic and monetary sovereignty, and pledged in the elections to get out of the economic circle of the CFA franc.

Ambition for the presidency in 2024

After he ranked third in the 2019 elections, he began preparing for the 2024 elections, in which he announced his participation. He is one of the most prominent figures supported by the "Save the People" coalition (Yui Askai Wei), which includes opposition figures such as the former mayor of Dakar, Khalifa Sall.

Sonko accused Senegalese President Macky Sall of seeking to change the constitution for a third presidential term.

Jobs and responsibilities

Sonko started his career in a tax services center in the suburbs of Dakar in 2001. After that, he worked as a financial auditor at the General Tax Administration and in charge of the real estate department since 2004, and rose to several internal positions until he became a chief inspector.

In the same department, he supervised the formulation of the Code of Ethics in the Internal Control Department.

In April 2005, he founded the Independent Tax Agents Association and served as its general secretary until June 2012.

Following the July 2017 elections, he was elected as a deputy to the National Assembly.

literature

Despite his preoccupations with field work and political festivals, he did not abandon communication with the reading and intellectual elite, so he wrote many articles and published some books in the field of economics and politics, and he has been published so far:

  • "Oil and Gas in Senegal... Chronic Looting" was published in January 2018.

  • "Solutions", a book in which he presents his 2019 presidential program and reflects his vision of solving the social and economic problems in Senegal.