Senegal is in mourning following the death of Mamadou Badio Camara, President of the Constitutional Council, who passed away on Thursday, April 10, in Dakar at the age of 73.
Camara’s death was confirmed by Me El Hadj Aya Boun Malick Diop, Secretary General of the Justice Workers Union (Sytjust).
“We regret to inform you of the passing of Mr. Mamadou Badio Camara, President of the Constitutional Council.
He died this Thursday in Dakar. May the Almighty forgive him and grant him a place in His Paradise, Firdaws,” Diop stated, in remarks widely reported by local media.
A highly respected magistrate, Camara previously served as President of both the Supreme Court and the Higher Council of the Judiciary.
He was appointed to lead the Constitutional Council in 2021 and played a decisive role in shaping Senegal’s political landscape during a turbulent period.
His legacy was firmly established during the electoral crisis of early 2024.
Amid a controversial attempt by then-President Macky Sall to delay the presidential election by ten months with parliamentary backing, Camara’s Council ruled the move unconstitutional.
Under his leadership, the court mandated a revised electoral timetable, forcing the presidency to hold elections on March 25, 2024.
That vote resulted in the election of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the candidate endorsed by prominent opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
In a notable speech delivered in Paris in October 2024 during the “Night of Law,” Camara revealed that the Council had also issued a strong advisory opinion against a potential third term for President Sall.
While not made public, Camara stated that the opinion significantly influenced Sall’s decision to step aside.
Despite often facing criticism from political opponents, Camara was widely acknowledged as a guardian of constitutional integrity.
His death comes at a pivotal moment.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye recently reaffirmed his commitment to replacing the current Constitutional Council with a new Constitutional Court as part of a sweeping reform agenda.
“As of today, the draft organic law on the Constitutional Court, the constitutional amendment bill, the organic law on the Superior Council of the Judiciary, and their implementing decrees have been completed and submitted for approval,” the president announced last Saturday.
Mamadou Badio Camara’s passing thus marks the end of an era—one defined by constitutional vigilance during a politically volatile chapter in Senegalese history.
