Senegal's Kiiraay party gains seven mayors from APR

Seven mayors from the Fatick department in Senegal have joined Kiiraay, the new political party of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This movement represents a significant shift in a region historically considered a stronghold for former President Macky Sall and his Alliance pour la République (APR).

According to Oumar Youm, a lawyer and former minister under Macky Sall, more than half of the approximately 400 mayors previously affiliated with the APR have since joined the presidential movement. The APR has officially denounced these departures, accusing the new administration of orchestrating the recruitment of local elected officials.

Other notable political shifts include Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, the mayor of Kaffrine, leaving the APR to form his own movement, the ‘Pacte républicain’. Additionally, figures such as Aliou Fall and Khouraichi Thiam have departed the Pastef party to join Kiiraay. The new party aims to consolidate power by integrating various political movements and expanding its influence into local government structures.