When Taxi and Bus Drivers go on Strike in Dakar

Two days without the public transport in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

Senegalese transport workers decided to go on strike on Monday (2 Jan) and Tuesday (3 Jan) to protest against high fuel prices, the high cost of car insurance and harassment by the police.

Not a single yellow cab could be seen on the streets as I set out for work. No commuter buses. But, I could see many people trekking. 

Those taxi and bus drivers hoot endlessly, stop without warning, take bends without indicating, drop off passengers without stopping, overtake on the wrong strike, refuse to give way, etc but Dakar doesn't look quite the same without the rickety "Ndiaga Ndiaye" and "Car Rapide" commuter buses.

They not only ferry most of its inhabitants, especially those who flood into the city from the impoverished suburbs of Pikine and Rufisque, they give the city its local colour.

In their absence though, Dakar's roads are now under the control of personal cars. Their owners have been going about their normal business probably relieved to drive without stress for a few days. 

Now, that's the difference with what I have observed in Cameroon in similar circumstances. 

Here in Senegal, the unions (as far as I've seen) are solely concerned about their members respecting the industrial action. That's why any taxi or bus seen transporting people is stopped and the passengers asked to disembark. They have nothing to do with the personal vehicles. 

In Cameroon, when taxi drivers or any other group of transporters decides to go on strike to protest a fuel price hike or other related issue, the unions or their members feel they must attack personal cars, whose owners are not involved in their action.

During the taxi driver strike that led to the mass riots of February 2008 in Cameroon, I passed by a junction in Yaounde where irate cab drivers had smashed the windscreen of a personal car.

"We are doing this for your good and instead of supporting us you are going about your business," screamed one of the men in the mob that was about to lynch the car owner.

"All of us including personal car owners would profit if the government heeds to our demands so you cannot say he is not a taxi driver," another man hurled at the man's female partner who was questioning why they should be prevented to use their car to go to work.

A fracas unfolded between those backing the personal car owner and the angry strike enforcers. I later learnt that the riot police landed in the area and things went wild.

There is some sense in what the drivers were saying, but aren't people free to choose whether they want to be part of such action or not?  If it is industrial action by a particular sector of society, must those people force others to join them? 

What I have seen here in Senegal is that people who are on strike or rioting, for whatever reason, do their stuff but they rarely take on others who are not involved.

Maybe, it's down to the fact that protests are more common in this country than they are in Cameroon. Given their frustration at not being able to express their outrage on issues, Cameroonians probably explode upon every little protest (that inevitably turns into a riot). 

In addition, the security forces in Cameroon are so confrontational that even a peaceful march or sit-in turns into a painful baton wielding, teargas pumping, water cannon spraying and gun-shooting (with live rounds) session. 

Although the security forces here have their brutal moments, they show more restraint than I have observed back in Cameroon. Hopefully, they'd keep their cool in the run up to elections in February and if this transport workers' strike continues.

Comments

[Bottes Noir]

Biewtbgmqiu Hey, all my imprinted brand is Derek Pesterfield | Bottes Noir i'm just pleased ' can not wait in relation to close to over go. Bottes Noir @■ftpnlzcrgz

[Louis Vuitton outlet online]

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful.

[Ecuador bus]

The same happens in Ecuador when there are strikes, unfortunately people who do not own a car need public transport. However, it is a good invitation for all people to use bike.