Bassirou Diomaye Faye, was sworn in yesterday as Senegal’s youngest president after sweeping to a first-round victory, 10 days after being released from prison. 

The 44-year-old has never before held an elected office, but several African leaders attended the ceremony in the new town of Diam-nia-dio, near the capital Dakar.

Taking his oath, Faye also vowed to “carefully observe the provisions of the Constitution and the laws” and to defend “the integrity of the territory and national independence, and to spare no effort to achieve African unity”.

The formal handover of power with outgoing President Macky Sall will take place at the presidential palace in Dakar.

The former tax inspector becomes the West African state’s fifth president since independence from France in 1960 and the first to openly admit to a polygamous marriage.