Wednesday, May 31, Ibrahima Cissé, helmet in hands, has a blank look. Sitting on the sidewalk in front of the Autopont Keur Gorgui in the Mermoz district of Dakar, he hopes to recover his motorcycle, immobilized by the gendarmes who ensure the application of the governor's decree. "It's been eight hours since my motorcycle was confiscated by the gendarmes," laments the distraught delivery man.

"I was not aware of the governor's order. Otherwise, I wouldn't have left my house today. It's a big blow for me. I make my living from my motorcycle and day to day. Without a motorcycle, it's without income for the day," continues the delivery man.

A batch of about twenty motorcycles held by the police are ostensibly grouped next to the sidewalk, as if to remind offenders what would await them in case of violation of the order.

"I may not work this week," Ibrahima worries. "If Ousmane Sonko is imprisoned, it risks creating further tension and the governor's decree would be extended indefinitely. It doesn't suit me at all," he adds.

The Cité Keur Gorgui district is cordoned off

Orders banning the use of motorcycles and mopeds are nothing new. In recent weeks, each time Ousmane Sonko is summoned to court in Dakar, the same measure has been taken on the same security grounds.

"It has been noted that fires, burning tires, and criminal acts caused by protesters are often the work of men riding motorcycles," said Maham Ka, communications officer at the Ministry of the Interior. These motorcycles are more mobile. Thus, the perpetrators can burn one place and leave on another. Every time we control the traffic of two-wheelers, we control the situation better."

"We only work and it is not forbidden to work. We don't have time to do anything else. I am neither pro-Sonko nor pro-Macky Sall. We are honest citizens," Ibrahima said.

The man in his thirties is sitting with a dozen other delivery men and bikers in the same situation, facing inflexible gendarmes, deployed en masse with dozens of police officers in the Cité Keur Gorgui district, which is that of the opponent Ousmane Sonko. The president of the Pastef les patriotes party is forcibly kept at home, all access leading to his home cordoned off by the police who prevent anyone outside the neighborhood from approaching his house.

Clashes broke out in this neighborhood on 29 May, following the deployment of security forces. Protesters erected barricades on major thoroughfares in the capital, burned tires and charred cars belonging to three ministers. Tensions remain high and calls to demonstrate are multiplying on social networks.

E-commerce paralyzed

The impact of the repeated decrees of the governor of Dakar goes far beyond the delivery sector. E-commerce is also affected by political tensions. Khadija, a shopkeeper, mainly uses WhatsApp messaging to offer shoes and bags to her followers. It says it is technically unemployed at each measure prohibiting the circulation of two wheels.

"It's a day that is worth zero for me, laments the shopkeeper. I had several shoe orders to deliver today. I am obliged to apologize to my clients by assuring them that as soon as the order expires, I will be able to send them their articles. It's really difficult for us small traders."

In her garage, which has about thirty parked motorcycles, Maguette Gueye strives to keep smiling. The founder of the company Car Rapide Prestige, one of the capital's pioneering companies in the delivery sector, and which employs up to 90 delivery people: "A day when we do not deliver, it is a dead day when we do not work at all. It's a big loss. It's getting more and more complicated and it can't go on," he said.

Nicknamed Max, the entrepreneur is also the head of one of the many delivery associations in the capital. He planned to organize a gathering of all the associations on Wednesday, May 31, to talk about their common fate. The meeting was eventually cancelled, 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 lifting of the ban on the circulation of two wheels. We will consult to know what solutions we will propose to the State to avoid these repeated inconveniences."

On the side of the Ministry of the Interior, we recognize half-words the consequences of the governor's orders: "We know that the decisions taken lead to negative economic impacts, but the security objective is a priority," acknowledges the communication officer.

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