President Bio has travelled again, this time to Dakar from Freetown, after extensive travels to Pennsylvania in the United States, China, and Windhoek in Namibia, Southern Africa, to name but a few.
President Bio and the First Lady travelled to Dakar to witness the democratic and peaceful transfer of power in Senegal from the outgoing President, Macky Sall, to the President-Elect Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal’s opposition figure who rose from the walls of prison-to-palace rise by winning over 54% of the votes in the March 24 presidential election, defeating the incumbent.
Faye was released from prison less than two weeks before the March election following a political amnesty announced by the outgoing president. He contested against the Incumbent and defeated him by 54% of the vote. He was elected President-Elect, but on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024, Senegal swore in Bassirou Diomaye Faye, age 44, as its new president in Dakar.
By and large, President Bio, who has made a name for himself back home for his extensive travels, travelled to the United States and gave a public lecture at the University of Pennsylvania on the theme ‘’Democracy, Progressive Politics and Inclusive Development in Africa’’. He returned quite recently and in no time travelled again to Dakar, ahead of Senegal’s President-Elect Swearing-in Ceremony, which was held on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024. Sources say the President was among the first dignitaries to arrive in Senegal to witness the Swearing-in ceremony.
Nearly one year ago, President Bio performed a similar function after the June 24 presidential elections, which saw him inaugurated as President of Sierra Leone for the second time through the ballot box. He took the oath of office on the day the controversial election was announced. The outcome of the controversial election still lingers in the minds and minds of democrats around the world, including the United States and of millions of Sierra Leoneans in respect of the democratic dispensation and questions around the credibility of the election result, which is still under scrutiny following the outcome of the post-election Peace dialogue and the establishment of the Tripartite Committee. The outcome of the election results has become a fathom by which Sierra Leoneans faced tough and rough times and struggles to make ends meet.
It is without prejudice to say that the period after the Swearing-In of President Bio was accompanied by deep-rooted squabbling or bickering, especially among APC supporters, who felt the government of President Bio was not legitimate, but three months after the hurly-burly following the signing of the post-election dialogue, the question of the legitimacy of the government of President Bio became questionable; as President Bio continues at State House. With this, there is the proclivity that President Bio will continue in office until 2028. Like Mackie Sall and his predecessor, Former President Ernest Bai Koroma, he will allow another President to emerge through the ballot box and allow a peaceful power transfer.
Fast forward, it is customary that incumbent Presidents or their representatives attend Swearing-in ceremonies for President-Elects. On this basis, the President travelled to Senegal to witness the occasion, which is in line with foreign policy objectives for the benefit of the home country. Therefore, President Bio has attended almost all swearing-in ceremonies for African presidents to strengthen bilateral relations and meet with other presidents.
However, President Bio has come under heavy criticism for his enormous travelling. Political analysts and economists say the president’s travels are nothing but a waste of state resources, which President Bio’s supporters disagree with and argue that the President’s travels have benefitted the country. In just a month between February and March and April, the president made many trips, the most recent being his trip to Pennsylvania and Philadelphia in the United States for public lectures. He travelled with his Wife to the United States.
The President and his wife, the First Lady, also travelled to Windhoek, Namibia, in Southern Africa, in February to witness the burial service of the late President Hage Geingob. The Chief Mourner and President of Namibia, President Dr Nango Mbumba, delivered an emotional tribute to the late President for his exceptional leadership. This tribute is worth emulating for African Presidents.
President Bio also travelled to China with his wife, the First Lady, and spent almost a week there on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping between February 27 and March 2nd, 2024. Sources say President Bio is the first African President to visit China in 2024.
President Bio is presently in Dakar, Senegal, with his wife, the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone. He returned days ago from the United States. Still, he will soon travel again to Dakar to witness the swearing-in of the president-elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal’s opposition figure who won over 54% of the votes in the March 24 presidential election, defeating Macky Sall.
The inauguration ceremony was officially held at the Abdou Diouf International Conference Centre (CICAD) of Diamniadio, some 30 kilometres from Dakar, Senegal. Macky Sall, whom he defeated in the March Presidential elections, handed him the baton of political power. The ceremony was well attended by foreign heads of state and governments, including President Bio, who went to witness the occasion.
By Article 37 of the Senegal Constitution, Diomaye Faye swears the oath of office, making him the 5th President of the Republic of Senegal. The President’s oath of office:
“I swear, before God and the people of Senegal, to faithfully execute the office of president of the republic of Senegal, to keep the provisions of the Constitution and laws and to ensure their observance, to devote all my strength to defending constitutional institutions, to defend Senegal’s territorial integrity and its independence, and I, Bassirou Diomaye Faye swear to spare no effort to realize the African unity”.
After the closing ceremony, Senegal’s youngest president was awarded the order of Grand-Croix de l’Ordre national du Lion and the Collier du Grand-Maître de l’Ordre national du Lion before he left the Conference building for the presidency in Dakar.
Dignitaries in attendance include Julius Maada Bio, President of Sierra Leone; Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria and chairman of ECOWAS, from President of Nigeria who also serves as ECOWAS Chairman; Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairperson of the African Union; Umaro Sissoko Emballo, President of Guinea Bissau; Adama Barrow, President of the Gambia and Abdoulaye Diop, the Foreign Minister of Mali. Guinea’s Military Junta Leader and Interim president Mamadi Doumbouya was also in attendance.
