Waly Diouf Bodian, a prominent supporter of Ousmane Sonko and a vocal figure within the Pastef movement, has been relieved of his duties as director-general of the Port autonome de Dakar by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The dismissal carries deep symbolic weight, particularly as a controversial 2022 Facebook post predicting Macky Sall’s political demise appears to have been eerily fulfilled.

In April 2022, Bodian declared on Facebook that “from April 2024 onward, citizen Macky Sall will no longer set foot in the Presidential Palace unless invited by President Ousmane Sonko.” Two years later, history has delivered a stark counterpoint to that claim. Sall’s return to Senegal coincided with the very moment his longtime critic and defender was stripped of his leadership position at one of the country’s most strategic economic institutions.

This reshuffle is the latest in a sweeping wave of leadership changes across Senegal’s public enterprises. Following the removals of Aïda Mbodji, Toussaint Manga, Ngagne Demba Touré, and Alioune Guèye, Bodian’s exit marks another chapter in President Faye’s restructuring of state-owned entities.

The decision was formalized during the July 16, 2026 Council of Ministers meeting, with Bodian’s successor announced as Doune Pathé Mbengue, a civil administrator and current mayor of Cambérène. Mbengue’s appointment follows Bodian’s own tenure, which began on May 13, 2024, succeeding Mountaga Sy. Prior to leading the Port, Bodian served as deputy director of Legislation and International Cooperation at the Directorate General of Taxes and Domains (DGID), holding the rank of principal tax inspector.

“Alhamdoulillah. I give thanks to God”

Bodian’s removal is more than a routine administrative decision. He was not merely a high-ranking civil servant but a fiery advocate for Ousmane Sonko, known for his uncompromising defense of the Pastef leader across digital and public platforms. When Sonko was designated as “Guardian of the Revolution,” Bodian went further, declaring himself “Guardian of the Guardian of the Revolution,” positioning himself as a political sentinel and Sonko’s most ardent protector.

His removal from the Port’s leadership has left many in Pastef’s base baffled. Some had anticipated his resignation in solidarity with Sonko following the Prime Minister’s dismissal, a move that prompted several party officials to walk away from their posts in protest. When questioned about the apparent contradiction, Bodian remained resolute: “There is individual management and collective management. Others chose individual paths. But we are politicians, part of a party, and we follow the party’s line. I did not appoint myself; I was appointed within the framework of the party.”

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has now made a definitive call. By relieving Bodian of his duties, he brings an end to one of the most dedicated and vocal defenders of Ousmane Sonko at the helm of a key national institution. Bodian’s response to the dismissal was characteristically measured—no public outcry, no recrimination, just a brief message on his Facebook page.