The two Dakar two-wheelers were forced to stop, awaiting the verdict on opponent Sonko

Wednesday, May 31, Ibrahima Cisse, helmet in hands, blank stare. Sitting on the sidewalk in front of the Keur Gorgui Autopont in the Mermoz district of Dakar, he hopes to retrieve his motorbike which has been stopped by gendarmes who ensure the enforcement of the governor’s decree. “It’s been eight hours since the gendarmes confiscated my motorbike,” laments the stunned delivery man.

“I wasn’t aware of the governor’s order. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have left my house today. It’s a blow to me. I make a living thanks to my motorbike and day in and day out. Without a motorbike, it’s no income for today,” the delivery man continues.

A group of twenty motorcycles seized by the police conspicuously gathered next to the sidewalk, as if to remind violators of what awaits them in the event of violating the decree.

“I risk not working this week,” Ibrahima worries. He adds, “If Osman Sonko is imprisoned, he risks creating more tensions and the governor’s decree will be extended indefinitely. This does not suit me at all.”

The Cité Keur Gorgui neighborhood has been cordoned off

Orders banning the trading of motorcycles and scooters are nothing new. In recent weeks, in every recall toOsman Sonko In the Dakar court, the same measure was taken for the same security reasons.

It has been noted that fires, burning tires and criminal acts caused by protesters are often the work of men on motorbikes, Maham Ka, the Home Ministry liaison officer, tells us. These motorcycles are more mobile. Offenders can burn one place and go to another. And every time we control the rotation of both wheels, we get better control of the situation.

“We just work and no work is forbidden. We don’t have time to do anything else. I am neither a supporter nor a supporter of Sonko.Mackey Hall. We are honorable citizens,” Ibrahima defends.

The man in his thirties sits with dozens of delivery men and bikers in the same position, facing inflexible gendarmes, deployed en masse with dozens of policemen in the neighborhood of City Core Georgia, which is the neighborhood of the opponent Osman Sonko. The president of the Pastife Lou Patriots party is being forced to stay in his home, and all entrances to his house have been cordoned off by police who forbid anyone from outside the neighborhood to approach his home.

Clashes broke out in the neighborhood on May 29 following the deployment of the police. The demonstrators set up barricades in the main streets of the capital and burned charred tires and cars belonging to three ministers. Tensions remain high and calls for demonstrations are growing on social networks.

E-commerce is paralyzed

The impact of the Dakar governor’s repeated decrees extends beyond the delivery sector. E-commerce is also affected by political tensions. Khadija, a shopkeeper, mainly uses WhatsApp messages to deliver shoes and bags to her subscribers. It says it’s technically idle with every measure prohibiting two-wheeler circulation.

“It’s a worthless day for me,” the shopkeeper laments. “I had several shoe orders to deliver today. I must apologize to my customers, and assure them that once the order expires, I will be able to forward them for them. It is really difficult for us merchants.” little ones.”

In his garage, which has about thirty motorcycles parked, Maguette Gueye tries to keep a smile on his face. Founder of Car Rapide Prestige, one of the capital’s leaders in the delivery sector, which employs up to 90 delivery people: “The day we don’t meet is a dead day we don’t work at all,” he says. “It’s a great loss. It’s getting more complicated and it can’t go on anymore.”

The businessman, nicknamed Max, is also the head of one of the many delivery associations in the capital. And he intended to organize a meeting for all associations, on Wednesday, May 31, to talk about their common destiny. The meeting was eventually canceled due to the governor’s order.

“We want to show the authorities that we are responsible people. That is why we respect their decisions. We will reschedule our meeting after the ban on two-wheeled traffic. We will consult with each other to find out what solutions we will propose to the state to avoid these repeated harassments.

On the part of the Ministry of the Interior, we are aware in half of the words of the consequences of the governor’s decisions: “We know that the decisions taken have negative economic effects, but the security objective is the priority,” acknowledges the liaison officer.