Bassirou Diomaye Faye has won Senegal’s presidential vote less than two weeks after his release from prison to run in the election.
In the run-up to the election, there was much speculation about who would win. The two major candidates, opposition Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the ruling party’s Amadou Ba, were popular but had different visions for the country's future.
Faye, who had spent months in prison for his political beliefs, ran on a platform of social justice and reform. Ba, a former minister of finance and economy, promised economic prosperity to the country.
Based on initial data, Faye has secured roughly 58 percent of the votes compared to his primary opponent's 33 percent, meaning there won't be a run-off.
The election results were close, but in the end, Faye emerged victorious.
Ba wasted no time in congratulating the winner.
“Considering the trends of the presidential election results and awaiting the official declaration, I congratulate the president, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye on his victory in the first round,” the ruling party candidate said.
In his first media appearance following the elections, Faye restated his commitment to combating corruption, bringing stability, and prioritizing economic sovereignty.
“I am committed to governing with humility, in transparency, and to fight corruption. In electing me, the Senegalese people have chosen to break with the past,” he said.
An official declaration of Mr. Faye's triumph is anticipated while celebrations in Dakar, the capital, continue.
