Senegal’s Faye appoints ally Ousmane Sonko as prime minister
Al Jazeera
New prime minister is popular politician who was barred from the March 24 elections, prompting him to support Faye.
Senegal’s new president has appointed firebrand politician and key backer Ousmane Sonko as prime minister in his first act as the West African nation’s leader.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye made the announcement shortly after he was sworn into office on Tuesday, pledging systemic change after years of deadly turmoil under his predecessor, Macky Sall, a political opponent of Sonko.
Speaking after his appointment, Sonko said he would present Faye with a full list of proposed ministerial appointments for his approval.
“There will be no question of leaving him (Faye) alone to assume this heavy responsibility”, Sonko said.
Faye took the presidential oath in front of hundreds of officials and several African heads of state at an exhibition centre in the new town of Diamniadio, near the capital, Dakar.
