Senegal has two first ladies: who are the new president’s wives

Weekend, Bassirou Diomaye Faye He was confirmed as the new president of Senegal after obtaining 54.28% of the votes in the elections. The opposition leader celebrated his victory as no one had ever done before in the history of his country: hand in hand with his two wives.

“I have beautiful children because I have amazing wives. They are very beautiful. I thank God because they are always by my side,” Faye said during the campaign.

One is called Marie Khone Faye; the other, Absa Faye. The former has been married to the politician for 15 years and is the mother of his four children (three boys and a girl). The second married Faye just a year ago.

Who are Bassirou Faye’s wives?

According to The City Celeb, Khone is a very popular figure in the African country, where she stands out as a supporter of women’s rights, education and healthcare.

When consulted by PressAfrik, Khone’s aunt, Ndeye Ngomhe said that his niece “is a very decent girl” who “inherited her qualities from her mother”.

Mbaye, Marie’s father, told what it was like the day Bassirou asked for his daughter’s hand: “One day Bassirou came to tell me that he wanted to get married. My response was, ‘Bass, do you want me to propose to a girl on your behalf?’ He told me no. I ask him again: ‘But who is that woman?’ He tells me: «I am Marie Khone, your daughter‘”.

The president’s other wife, Absashe was born in Niakhar, a rural municipality in the Fatick department, and not much is known about her.

Senegal, a country open to polygamy

For theorists on the subject, Faye wanted to send a message to her country’s Muslim community – the majority – which is traditionally monogamous.

“It is a consecration of the tradition of polygamy at the highest level of the State, a situation that reflects Senegalese tradition“said the sociologist, Djiby Diakhate.

For Diakhaté, the president-elect “sent a strong message for other men to assume that they are polygamists.”

Your couple, Fatou Sow Sarr, wrote in We remind you that in Senegal homosexuality is punishable by sentences of one to five years in prison.

Polygamy is widespread in Senegal, especially in rural areas. Islam allows men to have up to four wives, as long as they have the means to support them and stay with each of them for roughly the same amount of time.

Detention and release

Senegal’s new president was arrested on April 14, 2023 for “spreading false news, contempt of court and defamation of an established body.”

As the situation developed, charges of “inciting an insurrection” and “undermining state security” were brought against him, resulting in an indefinite period of detention.

After an attempt by the former president Macky Sal To postpone the elections, there were widespread protests and, in response, he announced that he will leave office on March 24 and expressed his desire to free Faye and her followers.