Rule of law or revenge? Senegal graft crackdown divides opinion

Since President Bassirou Diomaye Faye (right) and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko (left) came to power in Senegal in April 2024, five former ministers have been arrested on accusations of involvement in corruption. These arrests are linked to accusations of embezzlement, misuse of public funds and acceptance of bribes while the previous government scrambled to deal with the outbreak of Covid-19.

It is not just ministers who have been impacted. Several former senior aides and close advisors to former President Macky Sall have also been accused of corruption. Close relatives of Sall have been impacted, including his son Amadou Sall, who left the country.

His brother-in-law, the former minister for community development Amadou Mansour Faye, was remanded in custody on corruption charges in May. He was granted provisional release under judicial supervision in September.

Campaign promises

Faye and Sonko had campaigned on promises to stamp out corruption, reduce red tape and make government and business more efficient and effective. "These cases form part of a broader anti-corruption campaign launched by the Faye administration," explains Mucahid Durmaz, senior Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

Since coming to office, Faye and Sonko have passed several bills that they say are aimed at reducing corruption. These include a reform of the existing national office for combating fraud and corruption, as well as the first law in Senegal's history that gives legal protection to whistleblowers, and a law which expands the range of political figures required to declare their assets. According to Oumar Sall, technical advisor in the cabinet of the minister of justice, these efforts ensure the "protection of public resources against all forms of corruption or embezzlement", while also "reinforcing the transparency of public action and combating unjustified social inequalities".

"I really think that the government has the political will to fight effectively against corruption," says Alioune Tine, the founder of Afrikajom Center, a think tank and civil society organisation in Dakar.

But the efficacy and independence of the anti-corruption campaign is not yet clear. Critics claim it is part of a broader crackdown on opposition voices, including the media. Since Faye and Sonko came to power, freedom of the press has diminished: two journalists were arrested in late October for their attempt to interview a figure accused of corruption. Dozens of other journalists have been arrested, often after criticising the government, and news outlets have been closed.

In early 2025, the government suspended 381 media outlets deemed to be non-compliant with the press code in the country.

Witch hunt allegations

Critics say the vast majority of those who have been arrested in the corruption crackdown are either critics of Sonko or Faye or were members of President Sall's government, with whom there is no love lost: for example Sonko was arrested in July 2023, imprisoned awaiting trial on charges of insurrection, and released 10 days before the election that ended Sall's reign. Many in the opposition have called the crackdown a "witch hunt".

"The great challenge of the government's efforts will be to ensure that there is a respect for due process, respect of the right to legal defence, and respect of fundamental human rights of the people who are suspected of involvement," says Tine. "If these rights are not respected then there will be a sense that this is about political revenge; that is the problem."

"The allegations stem from official audit findings, rather than political accusations," notes Durmaz. "However, the conduct and transparency of judicial proceedings will be key to indicate whether the prosecutions are politically motivated."

Critics are concerned that a crackdown which focuses intensely on those who are political rivals of Faye and Sonko does little to improve the transparency of Senegal and undermines the democratic nature of its institutions.

Still, Durmaz suggests that the accusations of a witch hunt are "unlikely to gain significant public traction, given the record of corruption allegations under the previous Sall government and fiscal misreporting that deepened the country's economic challenges".

Businesses fear reputational risk

But while the public may be broadly in favour of the crackdown, there is a growing fear among investors that they too will be tarnished by allegations.

Sonko and Faye came to power promising to get a better deal for Senegal from foreign investors and this had already raised fears of contract revisions and a more challenging operating environment.

As those with close ties to former President Sall face arrest and significant reputational damage, companies which did extensive business in Senegal with the government under Sall fear a backlash.

"Although the government anti-corruption campaign has so far targeted former government officials and local entities, foreign operators that hold large, long-term contracts in extractive and infrastructure sectors face potential regulatory and reputational risks," says Durmaz.

Already there has been a harder line taken with businesses than in the past. Australian oil and gas company Woodside is engaged in a lengthy battle with the Senegal government over taxes that it allegedly owes the government for the period from 2019 to 2022.

"Foreign companies that are perceived to have benefited from close ties with the previous government through favourable tax terms and preferential access to licenses risk facing contract reviews, renegotiations or new tax demands," notes Durmaz.

Not everyone is so pessimistic, however.

"Obviously foreign and Senegalese businesses are impacted positively by the fight against corruption," declares government advisor Oumar Sall.

"These measures offer businesses more clarity around economic opportunities, while also clarifying the legal framework surrounding their activities."

"The business environment could be further improved by the government's efforts to fight corruption," agrees an entrepreneur in Dakar who wishes to remain anonymous.

"That could reinforce the confidence of investors and donors, which would likely help Senegalese businesses across all sectors."