In the commune of Bokidiawé (Matam department), several landowners are opposing Mayor Kalidou Wagué, accusing him of having adopted a resolution concerning 100 hectares of their land without consultation. These disputes have created a tense atmosphere, with the mayor's office justifying the decision as part of an approved urban development project, developed in consultation with local stakeholders, including village chiefs. The lack of dialogue between the parties threatens social stability in the commune.

A housing development project initiated by the town hall has sparked strong opposition from local residents, particularly landowners in Asndé, an area of land located between the towns of Mboloyel and Bokidiawé. They accuse "the municipal authorities of wanting to seize their land without prior consultation or respect for customary rights."

The situation reached a critical point in 2021 when protesters tore up the municipal council's deliberation paper and vigorously protested what they perceived as an attempted expropriation. These demonstrations escalated into clashes with the police, resulting in several arrests among the protesters.

Nearly five years later, the conflict resurfaced during a demonstration in the town of Bokidiawé, where participants, wearing red armbands, strongly denounced the mayor's decision. The movement's leaders, including Malick Diaw and Ibrahima Ndom, criticized the lack of consultation with landowners before any deliberations on the land allocation.

They express a profound sense of injustice and reiterate their determination to protect their land, which they consider a family and community heritage threatened by what they describe as unilateral land management. Their primary fear remains the permanent loss of this land, which, they believe, could lead to a protracted conflict due to a lack of understanding of local realities.

In response, Baba Diawara, the mayor's representative and president of the Land Commission, firmly rejects these accusations. He believes that some of the claims lack coherence, particularly those coming from landowners who have already ceded their land. Diawara maintains that the municipal resolution approving the use of the 100 hectares was adopted unanimously, following consultations involving village chiefs.

While the city council remains determined to pursue its urban development project on this site which already houses the high school and plans the installation of a central market, a town hall and several basic infrastructures, tensions are escalating between the two parties.

While affirming their opposition to what they call land "grabbing", the protesters are calling on the regional executive to intervene as a mediator to prevent this dispute from leading to an irreversible conflict.