Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a left-wing pan-Africanist, was sworn in Tuesday as Senegals youngest president after sweeping to a first-round victory on a pledge of radical reform weeks after he was released from prison.
The 44-year-old has never before held an elected office but several African leaders attended the ceremony in the new town of Diamniadio, near the capital Dakar.
“Before God and the Senegalese nation, I swear to faithfully fulfill the office of President of the Republic of Senegal”, Faye said before the gathered officials.
He also vowed to “scrupulously observe the provisions of the Constitution and the lawsand to defend the integrity of the territory and national independence, and to spare no effort to achieve African unity”.
Faye was among a group of political opponents freed from prison 10 days before the March 24 presidential ballot under an amnesty announced by Sall, who had tried to delay the vote. Fayes campaign was launched while he was still in detention.
The formal handover of power with outgoing President Macky Sall will take place at the presidential palace in Dakar.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday spoke with the president-elect by telephone and underscored the United States strong interest in deepening the partnership between their two countries, the State Department said.
Ugochi Olivia Ubah is an Educator and a Writer
