Thiès mayors clash over road project management and funding

A political dispute has emerged in Thiès between the Mayor of the City, Babacar Diop, and the Mayor of Thiès-Est, Ousmane Diagne. While both were originally elected under the Yewwi Askan Wi banner, recent political shifts have strained their relationship.

The tension centers on a 9-kilometer road rehabilitation project connecting Cité Senghor to Silmang on the Tassette road. Although Diagne acknowledged the necessity of the work due to the road's degraded state, he criticized the lack of prior consultation with the Thiès-Est municipality regarding the project's management.

Diagne has also raised questions regarding the transparency of the project's funding. He countered claims of insufficient state support by citing a total of 2.5 billion CFA francs in state funding allocated to the city, including 300 million CFA francs in endowment funds, 700 million CFA francs for electrification, and 1.5 billion CFA francs in equipment funds. He attributed these resources to the policies of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.