TheCable

Bassirou Faye, the opposition candidate in the recent Senegalese election, has been sworn in as the fifth president of the West African country.

On March 24, Senegal held its presidential election after numerous postponements.

Faye will be succeeding Macky Sall who has ruled since 2012.

Before the vote, Faye was detained alongside Ousmane Sanko, his political mentor, who was accused of “defamation” among other offences.

Sanko, who was the main opposition candidate for the presidential election, was barred from contesting. He selected Faye to represent his party.

Faye was released from detention alongside Sanko ten days before the commencement of the election campaign after an amnesty law was passed.

Now the youngest African president, Faye was sworn in on Tuesday at an exhibition centre in Diamniadio near Dakar, the capital city.

In his inaugural speech, he promised to discharge his duties according to the laws and constitution of Senegal.

“Before God and before the Senegalese nation, I swear to faithfully fulfil the office of president of the Republic of Senegal, to scrupulously observe the provisions of the constitution and the laws,” he said.

Faye said he would “devote all my forces to defending the constitutional institutions, territorial integrity and national independence, to finally spare no effort for the achievement of African unity”.

During the presidential poll, Faye defeated Amadou Ba, Senegal’s former prime minister, and won 54 percent of the votes cast.

On Monday, President Bola Tinubu, who is also the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was among heads of state and governments who travelled to Senegal to witness the inauguration.