Amath Dansokho: Remembering a Senegalese political icon

Amath Dansokho, a prominent figure in Senegalese left-wing politics, is remembered for his decades of activism and commitment to social justice. Born in 1937 in Kédougou, Dansokho joined the African Independence Party (PAI) in 1957, participating in the anti-colonial struggle for Senegal's independence.

In 1981, he co-founded the Party of Independence and Labour (PIT), becoming one of the most recognizable faces of the country's left. His political career included serving as a minister, a member of the National Assembly, and the mayor of his hometown, Kédougou.

Dansokho passed away on August 23, 2019, at the age of 82. In recognition of his legacy, former President Macky Sall renamed the regional hospital in Kédougou to the ‘Centre hospitalier régional Amath Dansokho de Kédougou’ in 2021.