Senegal families of victims oppose macky sall’s un bid
The announcement of Macky Sall’s candidacy for United Nations Secretary-General has sparked fierce debate in Senegal. Just days after Burundi officially nominated him as Africa’s contender for the role, the former president returned to Dakar for a meeting with current President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye—a move that has drawn sharp criticism from collectives representing families of victims of political violence during his administration.
Macky Sall, who led the African Union from February 2022 to February 2023, frames his bid as an opportunity to amplify Africa’s voice on the global stage. Yet, his aspiration faces fierce resistance from Senegalese civil society and the current government, which accuses his former administration of violently suppressing opposition protests between 2021 and 2024—a period marked by dozens of fatalities, according to human rights groups.
Mouhamed Fadel Bodian, a spokesperson for the families of the victims, expressed deep unease over the meeting between Macky Sall and President Faye.
« The president’s decision to grant Macky Sall an audience regarding his UN candidacy sends a disturbing signal,» he stated. We firmly believe he is unworthy of Senegal’s endorsement in this race. His leadership years were marked by unnecessary bloodshed.»
Boubacar Sèye, head of the Association of Martyrs’ Families, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the human cost of Sall’s tenure.
« This is not just about politics; it is about justice,» he said. Macky Sall’s return to the political spotlight reopens wounds tied to a dark chapter in our nation’s history. Innocent lives were lost during those protests, and their families deserve accountability, not renewed influence.»
The backlash extends beyond civil society. Guy Marius Sagna, a lawmaker from the ruling Pastef party, went further in his condemnation, calling the former president’s visit an insult to victims.
« For every life lost between 2021 and 2024, this meeting is a new wound,» he asserted. These martyrs sacrificed their lives to defend Senegal’s democracy. Honoring their memory means rejecting any return to the oppression of the past.»
Macky Sall’s bid joins a competitive UN leadership race already featuring former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica has also floated the name of former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, though her candidacy remains unofficial. Global discussions are also highlighting a historic opportunity: the potential election of the first female UN Secretary-General.
The UN Security Council is set to begin formal reviews of candidates by late July. Its recommendation will then go to the General Assembly, the body responsible for electing the Secretary-General for a five-year term, renewable once. For Macky Sall, the stakes are twofold: his UN ambitions now hinge on both international diplomacy and Senegal’s unresolved reckoning with its past.
