On Tuesday, senior citizens in the Kaffrine region celebrated National Senior Citizens Day with a large walk through several of the city's streets. This activity is part of the commemoration of this day, organized every November and established by the Senegalese government in 1987.

The deputy prefect of Kaffrine, Boubacar Ba, reiterated that the main objective of this celebration is to raise awareness within communities about healthy aging. "As part of the celebration of the Day of Older Persons, held every last Friday of November, we wanted to mark this day in Kaffrine. Established by the State of Senegal in 1987, it aims to raise awareness within communities about healthy aging," he stated.

He added that the day also served as a platform for strong advocacy in favor of adopting the draft law on the protection of the rights of older persons. "We took the opportunity to advocate for the adoption of the framework law on the promotion and protection of older persons. These were truly the two main objectives that guided the celebration of this day," he stated.

Emphasizing the importance of physical activity for seniors, he encouraged older people to stay active. "We strongly encourage our elders to engage in regular physical activity, even at home... even if it's just a simple walk in the yard. This can really help maintain good health," he explained, mentioning in particular the prevention of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

For his part, Modou Sarr, president of the senior citizens' association in the Kaffrine region, emphasized the symbolic and health-related significance of the walk. "We came today for a hike to celebrate the National Day of the Elderly, established by the State of Senegal. We chose this walk to encourage senior citizens to exercise and prevent certain health problems that often affect us," he stated.

He also took the opportunity to voice several grievances to the authorities. "We benefit from the Sesame Plan, but we urge the President of the Republic to make this plan completely free. We also request the reinstatement of social security grants in order to enroll more elderly people," he pleaded.

Among other requests, Mr. Sarr emphasized the importance of integrating older people into decision-making bodies, stating that "one can retire and still remain available." He also called on the government to expedite the adoption of the bill on the promotion and protection of the rights of older people. "The Ministry of Social Action now reports to the Ministry of Family Affairs. We urge the Minister to expedite matters in order to present this law to the National Assembly, and we call on the President of the Republic to take the necessary steps," he insisted.

Referring to a presidential commitment, he added: "The president had announced that he would organize an annual meeting with the elderly to talk with us. We remind him of this."

This hike was intended to be sporting, civic and protest-oriented, demonstrating the desire of the elderly in Kaffrine to remain active while making their voices heard by the relevant authorities.