Poor road conditions, insecurity, administrative isolation, and territorial inconsistencies are fueling the demands of the residents of Keur Massamba Guèye, a locality situated on the outskirts of Thiès but administratively attached to the municipality of Fandène, more than 10 kilometers away. It was following numerous requests from local residents that the mayor of Thiès, Dr. Babacar Diop, visited the area.

Accompanied by the city's technical services, the mayor of Thiès conducted a site visit to assess the living conditions of the residents and hear their concerns. For several hours, discussions focused on the numerous difficulties they face daily. Deteriorating roads, lack of street lighting, security problems, the need for sanitation infrastructure, and administrative hurdles were among the main concerns raised.

For the local population, the question of administrative affiliation has become central. They feel that their belonging to the municipality of Fandène no longer reflects the realities of their daily lives. Most residents work in Thiès, send their children to school there, and frequent its markets, healthcare facilities, and various services.

After visiting several sectors of the locality, Dr. Babacar Diop stressed the need to open a discussion on this situation.

“Keur Massamba Guèye maintains permanent links with the city of Thiès. The realities experienced by the people must be taken into account in any reflection on territorial organization,” he said.

The mayor of Thiès believes that this problem is not unique to Keur Massamba Guèye. According to him, several outlying areas are experiencing a similar situation. Although administratively attached to other local authorities, their populations live at the pace of Thiès city, where they carry out most of their economic, social, and educational activities.

In his view, the issue deserves to be examined through consultation and dialogue between the various communities involved. He stressed the need to prioritize the interests of the population and territorial cohesion over any political considerations.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Bassirou Ndao, principal of the Keur Massamba Guèye CEM, outlined the numerous difficulties faced by the population.

According to him, the current administrative organization is a constant source of constraints. Residents have to travel long distances to complete certain administrative formalities, while their daily activities take place almost exclusively in Thiès.

The local population finds it difficult to understand why they are administratively dependent on a distant municipality when they maintain constant contact with the city of Thiès. They believe this situation leads to wasted time, additional expenses, and numerous inconveniences for families.

Another major concern is the state of the laterite road, which is the main access route to the town. Mbaye Cissé, known as Major, raised the alarm about the advanced state of disrepair of this road, which extends to the toll highway. According to him, traffic becomes particularly difficult during the rainy season, complicating the movement of residents, access to markets, and economic activities. He also pointed out that many transporters are now hesitant to serve the area due to the poor condition of the road.

Residents also emphasized the inadequacy of street lighting, which they consider a contributing factor to insecurity. Faced with this situation, they stated that they have established, through their own contributions, a private security service to ensure the protection of people and property.

The issue of access to healthcare was also raised during the discussions. The residents brought up the proposed construction of a health center in the area. On this point, Dr. Babacar Diop asked them to provide him with the relevant documents so that he could take the necessary steps with the Ministry of Health to ensure its progress.

The residents welcomed the visit, seeing it as a sign that their concerns were being addressed. They particularly appreciated the mayor of Thiès's approach of being accessible, coming to see the situation firsthand and listen directly to the people. They now hope that their request to be annexed to the City of Thiès will be examined by the relevant authorities and that a lasting solution can be found to a situation they consider ill-suited to current realities.

Dr. Babacar Diop, for his part, assured that he intended to bring this demand to the attention of the relevant authorities. According to him, the discussion must go beyond the sole case of Keur Massamba Guèye and include all the surrounding areas whose populations live, work, study, and receive medical care in Thiès while administratively dependent on other communities.

Before leaving, he instructed the City's Technical Services to return to the site to assess potential improvements to the road and to conduct a survey of the public lighting, with the aim of identifying solutions to improve the living conditions of residents. He pledged to include women in the funding program established by the City of Thiès.