7 things to know about Bassirou Faye, youngest elected president in Africa

Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to become the youngest president in Africa.

The opposition party leader in Senegal contested the presidential election alongside 18 other candidates.

Based on the results of 90% of polling stations in the first round vote, the electoral commission in Senegal on Monday, March 25, 2024, announced that the 44-year-old anti-establishment candidate had about 53.7% while the ruling coalition’s candidate, Amadou Ba, had 36.2%.

The figures showed Faye was coasting to victory and his political rivals have started congratulating him ahead of the official announcement by the country’s electoral commission.

The incumbent president, Macky Sall, has congratulated Faye, describing his win as “a victory for Senegalese democracy.”

In a statement on Monday, March 25, 2024, Ba congratulated Faye saying, “In light of presidential election result trends and while we await the official proclamation, I congratulate … Faye for his victory in the first round.”

The only female in the race, Anta Babacar Ngom, has also joined Sall and Ba to congratulate Faye.

However, while Senegal awaits the official announcement of Faye’s victory, here are seven interesting things to know about the young politician, who is set to become the youngest president in Africa.

1. Born on March 25, 1980, Faye is a former tax inspector and has never held any political position.
2. The young politician is a practising Muslim with two wives, Marie Khone Faye and Absa Faye and four children.
3. Faye and his political leader, Ousmane Sonko were in prison until 10 days before the presidential election. They were released on March 14 after the president announced a political amnesty. Both men co-founded the now-disbanded Pastef party.
4. Faye emerged as a presidential candidate of the opposition after his boss, Sonko was disqualified from contesting the election.
5. He celebrated his 44th birthday on March 25, 2024, the same day the results of 90% of polling stations announced by the country's electoral commission put him in a position to become the next President of Senegal.
6. Ahead of the Sunday election, Faye published a declaration of his assets and urged other candidates to do the same. This got him nicknamed "Mr Clean" by his supporters.
7. Faye, a graduate of the National School of Administration is a pan-africanist.