During the “48 hours of Pastef” gathering held in Touba, Ousmane Sonko delivered a fresh critique aimed at President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This latest disagreement revolves around the administration of the presidency’s “caisse noire.” In defending his party’s financial practices, the Pastef leader underscored that his political organization, in his view, does not rely on state resources to fund its various activities.

“Pastef is not a party that dips into government coffers to finance its programs. That is forbidden (haram) for us,” he declared to an assembly of his activists. This statement directly refers to the ongoing dispute between the two prominent political figures concerning the management of the presidential secret fund. For several weeks, Ousmane Sonko has consistently questioned the existence of this fund, arguing that it is inconsistent with the principles of transparency that both he and Faye championed prior to their ascent to power.

In Touba, without explicitly mentioning the head of state by name, Sonko suggested that these funds could potentially be used to consolidate a political base in preparation for future electoral contests. He reiterated that Pastef, conversely, places its trust in the contributions and donations from its loyal members. The Pastef president also took aim at those who have criticized the successful membership card sales campaign of his party. Characterizing certain political figures as “bitter,” he used a vivid Wolof idiom: “s’il n’y a pas de mort, dina am blessé,” which translates to a warning that his political adversaries will not remain unscathed as Pastef continues to gain momentum.