The leader of the political movement AGIR-Les Leaders, Thierno Bocoum, has sharply criticized Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko over the controversial issue of political funds he claims were received during Sonko’s tenure in public office.
Bocoum points out that Sonko himself has acknowledged receiving around 1.77 billion West African CFA francs annually under the guise of these so-called political funds. The opposition figure argues that this revelation raises serious doubts about Sonko’s credibility as a champion of fighting public fund embezzlement.
He further questions why the existence of these funds was only disclosed years after their implementation, noting that legislators responsible for approving the national budget and overseeing government actions were apparently kept in the dark for an extended period.
Bocoum also highlights that a former government spokesperson publicly admitted never being informed about these funds, deepening concerns about their institutional oversight and management.
The AGIR-Les Leaders president accuses Sonko of issuing certificates of integrity to others while failing to meet the same transparency standards he demands from fellow officials.
He describes the situation as a form of selective accountability, where demands for financial transparency apply only to certain public figures while others operate under a veil of secrecy. Bocoum warns that such inconsistency in applying moral standards to all political actors could undermine trust in Senegal’s governance.