Ziguinchor, June 27 (APS) – The new mayor of Ziguinchor (south), Djibril Sonko, said he saw his mission at the head of this commune as “a priesthood” and invited the other members of the municipal council to have the same state of mind.
The new mayor spoke shortly after his unanimous election by the 77 councilors who took part in a so-called symbolic vote on Thursday in the presence of the prefect of Ziguinchor, Ahmed Tidiane Thiaw.
“This election is a calling for me. It is all the more a calling as I have decided to make many sacrifices to ensure the function of mayor of the commune of Ziguinchor,” he declared.
“I invite you to do the same,” said Djibril Sonko, addressing his colleagues and warning them against “powerism.”
He also invited the councilors to “prioritize rigor, seriousness in the work and justice in all acts of management of this town hall”. “I invite you to work, to bring the populations of Ziguinchor the well-being that they have long awaited from the local authorities.”
“I will not rule out anyone for any reason. […] of political politics,” promised Djibril Sonko, who paid tribute to his predecessor, Ousmane Sonko, the current Prime Minister.
“I would like to pay vibrant tribute to Ousmane Sonko,” he said.
Rarely in the political history of Senegal, “we have seen a man so determined, courageous and generous to sacrifice his life and his family to fight for freedom and democracy, to put Senegal on the right track for the […] benefit of all,” the new mayor maintained.
“If I am sitting here as mayor of Ziguinchor, apart from divine considerations, we can all accept that it is thanks to the fight of Ousmane Sonko and his leadership,” he said.
Ousmane Sonko resigned as mayor of Ziguinchor after his appointment as head of government.
He has been leading the municipality since the local elections in January 2022.
His resignation followed a directive from the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who, to avoid the accumulation of functions, ordered the members of the municipal and departmental councils contacted and having agreed to be part of the government to resign from their elective functions.
Born in Ziguinchor, Djibril Sonko, previously second deputy mayor, completed his middle and secondary education at the Tété-Diédhiou college and the city’s Djignabo high school, then his higher education at the Cheikh-Anta-Diop University (UCAD) in Dakar.
He holds a diploma in advanced studies in international economics from the said university.
Djibril Sonko is one of the founding members of Pastef, the ruling party, of which he heads the Ziguinchor departmental section.
At the same time, he teaches economics, particularly public markets, at UCAD and at Assane-Seck University in Ziguinchor.
MNF/BK/ESF
