How did Bassirou Diomaye Faye, age 44, go from obscurity to a resounding win in Senegal’s presidential election? At the family homestead, one relative explained, “This family is not new to ruling.”
Tag: Africa
Aya Nakamura, French-Malian Singer, Is Caught in Olympic Storm
Aya Nakamura’s music is one of France’s top cultural exports. But reports that she might perform at the Paris Games have prompted fierce debates over identity and language.
Young Opposition Candidate Set to Become Senegal’s President
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who turned 44 on Monday, was little known until he received the backing of Ousmane Sonko, Senegal’s most formidable opposition politician. Both men were released from jail only 10 days ago.
Dozens of Children Kidnapped in Nigeria Are Released, Officials Say
The military of the West African nation, which is plagued by kidnappings largely driven by demands for ransom payments, said 137 children had been freed in the country’s north.
Senegal Votes in an Election That Almost Didn’t Happen
The top opposition politician, Ousmane Sonko, is barred from running. So Sunday’s vote is widely seen as a choice between his handpicked candidate and the departing president’s designated successor.
Democracy Crumbling in African Countries Once Ruled by France
A wave of military coups and presidents clinging to power are two sides of the same anti-democratic coin plaguing Francophone Africa, experts say.
Paulin Hountondji, Revolutionary African Philosopher, Dies at 81
He rebelled against efforts to force African ways of thinking into the European worldview. His thoughts had the effect of a bomb in African intellectual life.
Senegal’s 2024 Election: What to Know
Senegal was seen as an outpost of democracy in a coup-plagued region until its president tried to cancel the election last month. He failed, and it’s going ahead next Sunday.
Gambia Votes to Overturn Landmark Ban on Female Genital Cutting
Lawmakers in the West African country voted to advance a bill repealing a 2015 ban. If it passes the final round of voting, Gambia will become the first nation to roll back protections against the practice.
Senegal’s Opposition Leaders Freed from Jail Days Before Election
The presidential candidate of the main opposition party, as well as its powerful founder, was released 10 days before the West African country is set to hold a national election.