Ziguinchor Mayor Djibril Sonko has attacked the administration, stating that "mayors in Senegal are not held in the proper esteem. Mayors do not truly enjoy their prerogatives in this country. [...] The mayor must be allowed to act when a citizen builds in a space that does not belong to them. If a citizen builds without land documents or a building permit, the mayor must be responsible for stopping construction," said Djibril Sonko.

In this case, which pitted Mr. Mamadou Thiam against the Ziguinchor mayor, Djibril Sonko cited double standards, claiming that the administration was biased and unfair. According to the mayor of Ziguinchor, the officers acted responsibly. However, Djibril Sonko declined to say whether they acted under his orders. He also claims that he was ultimately not interviewed by the police, but nevertheless acknowledges his summons.

"The man built near the Korentas Canal. Several summonses were sent to him, and the last one was taken by one of his own at his request and signed the discharge. On several occasions, the man in question was summoned by the highway officials, summons to which he never responded," relayed the mayor during his face-to-face with the editorial staff of Kéwoulo TV, specifying that this affair sufficiently shows that in Ziguinchor, people feel extremely strong, because they are protected by powerful people hiding in the shadows.

As proof, he cites the construction in this space belonging to the town hall, which is not subject to any allocation, without building permit, and the immediate arrest of its agents after the gentleman's complaint. "He filed a complaint immediately, the prosecutor took charge of the matter," the mayor said, revealing cases where the administration did not lift a foot to support the town hall in the logic and dynamic of maintaining order and stopping anarchic acts.

All things considered, the mayor points the finger at bias, even if he accepts the payment of damages to Mr. Thiam.

Excerpt from the video on this case with the editorial staff of Kéwoulo TV.