Koldan Liberation Front-Union

Koldan Liberation Front-Union Union du Front de libération de Kolda
Abbreviation	KLF-U
Leader	Etienne Senghor
President	Osmengo Khan
Chairperson	Coumba Segnane
Founder	Seynabou Gano
Founded	January 20, 1984 (1984-01-20)
Headquarters	Hall of the People, Guinewaye
Student wing	Student Workers' Union
Youth wing	Liberation Front Youth
Women's wing	Women of the Workforce
Brissic Wing	Union Party for Liberation
Membership (2022)	1,678,000
Ideology	Since 2009 Nationalist, Big-Tent 1984-2009 Communist, Ganoism
Political position	Since 2009 Big-Tent 1984-2009 left-wing to far-left
National affiliation	Koldan People's Union
Colors	Green
Senate of the Republic	12 / 40
Assembly of Deputies	90 / 200
Regional Presidents	3 / 5
Website
klf.ko

The Koldan Liberation Front-Union or (KLF-U) is a political organization that has been the ruling party in Kolda since independence in 1984. The party was founded and led by Seynabou Gano from its founding to 2009 when Gano was couped by the military-led regime of Adama Daouef. Daouef was soon forced out by Edouard Senghor who had been the Vice-President from 2004 to 2009. KLF-U is the political alliance of KLF and the Koldan Congress Party, with KLU being a militant organization that existed from 1968 to 1985.

History

The first Koldan nationalist organization was the Koldan People's Front created in 1963 by soldiers and veterans of the Great War, the organization was considered moderate and organized political demonstrations for independence before being put down by force in 1965 with its leaders arrested including Gano. While Gano was imprisoned, Paul Esmueo Diaw created the Koldan Liberation Front, Diaw was more moderate than Gano and was a Gramontist believing that both Arrivee and Koldan workers should create a multi-racial state. After the 1972 Protests, more radical elements took control of the KLF turning the party into a more militant organization. Once, Gano was released as part of the 1978 Agreement, he quickly gained widespread support by defeating his political rivals by revealing internal party corruption.

KLF-U Era

The KLF-U was founded in 1984, as a political arm of the KLF that has been fighting for the previous decade against the Brissiac Republic’s government. Additionally, after the political victory in 1985, Koldan moderates were forced to either absorb or face being barred from parliament. It wasn't until 2004, that political opposition appeared in the form of the Republican Party. RP was formed by a faction of affluent and conservative members of the traditionally left-wing KLF-U. Although the RP was and counties to politically support the KLF-U by aligning with them politically in the 2005 and 2009 Elections. However, in 2009, the KLF-U had an internal conflict between the factions of Gano and supporters of businessman Jerome Hamoud-Diaw. Diaw was more in favor of a transition to a private economy with government oversight, while Gano was still ideologically aligned with state socialism. When Gano ordered the military to threaten the Faeleme, the minority group that Diaw was a part of, Colonel Adama Daouf launched a coup. Gano then fled to Brissiac leading to Kolda engaging in a brief civil war as the Koldan Republican Army briefly overwhelmed Brissiac forces along the border. Soon, however, Vice-President Edouard Senghor working with Brissiac recaptured Guineawaye in late 2009, not before Gano was assassinated in his estate in Saint-Paul.

Senghor quickly implemented reforms drawing widespread support allowing for him to be easily elected in 2014. Although, Senghor maintained elements of the regime such as state control of planning and the policy of Les Gens Séparation. When nationwide protests occurred in 2017, the military suspended internet access before killing around 40 protesters in various incidents. In the following, 2019 Election the KLF-U maintained control despite allegations of intimidation and voter fraud by political opposition.

Organization

The KLF-U operates through a Party Chairman who has the final say on all issues within the party, beneath them is the Revolutionary Committee which is a council made of 5 members each representing a region with a seat reserved for the Party Chairman. This Committee drafts the party lists for each election and may revoke party membership from party MPs. Below them is the National People's Congress made of 108 representatives from each Communauté and Arrondissement in Kolda. The NPC also approves the party list's and creates the yearly Party Contact of the People. This agreement sets out specific rules for all party officials, MPs, and party members. By joining the KLF-U, members pledge to follow its guidelines.

Party Contact of the People

The PCOP was first created in 1980, by Seynabou Gano as a way of laying out the official policy of the Koldan Liberation Front. Since then the PCOP has become more of a rulebook for KLF-U candidates and supporters. Specifics include terms to use about Brissiac and its status as well as a list of words that are required in all public speeches. Punishment for not following these rules leads to an internal pannel by the local People's Congress Conference.

Election Results

Presidential Results

Election	Presidential Candiate	Vice Presidential Candiate	Votes	Elected
1984	Seynabou Gano	Martin Dioum	35.9%	Yes
1989	Seynabou Gano	Assine Diombaty	67.8%	Yes
1994	Seynabou Gano	Assine Diombaty	86.1%	Yes
1999	Seynabou Gano	Jermaine Kaba	79.4%	Yes
2004	Seynabou Gano	Edouard Senghor	78.1%	Yes
2009	Seynabou Gano	Edouard Senghor	40.4%	Yes
2014	Edouard Senghor	Rahman Toure	53.7%	Yes
2019	Edouard Senghor	Marie Bassoum	47.3%	Yes