Inside Senegal’s National Assembly: Ousmane Sonko’s legislative agenda unveiled

Ousmane Sonko is championing a landmark bill that would mandate asset declarations for outgoing presidents, with strong backing from the Justice Minister.

Parliament gears up for an intense legislative session

The National Assembly is preparing to launch a packed parliamentary agenda, featuring sweeping institutional reforms, parliamentary inquiry commissions, and strategic legislation. Behind this ambitious agenda is the majority faction led by Ousmane Sonko, which is pushing to fast-track its governance program with a strong emphasis on transparency, accountability, and public oversight.

A renewed focus on transparency and accountability

At the heart of this legislative push is a constitutional amendment proposal targeting Article 37. The bill seeks to introduce a mandatory asset declaration requirement for presidents upon leaving office. This initiative has already secured preliminary approval from the Justice Minister, who advocates for a standardized application of this rule across all relevant public officials. Another critical reform involves stricter oversight of political funds, a long-standing grey area in public finances, which would now fall under tighter legal scrutiny to ensure full transparency and traceability.

Key inquiries and ratification priorities

The Bureau of the National Assembly has greenlit the establishment of three parliamentary inquiry commissions. The first will investigate the management of state-owned real estate assets, particularly following controversies surrounding the Cité Fayçal and Sogepa’s activities. A second commission will revisit the long-delayed TRS dossier, which has lingered despite earlier initiatives from the Takku Wallu parliamentary group. Additionally, the Executive is advancing several high-priority ratification bills, including the long-awaited Petroleum Code, as energy sector developments take center stage in Senegal’s economic outlook.