The protest against the high cost of living reached a new level on Saturday in Dakar. Launched on social media, the ’30 Days for a Fair Price’ campaign now plans to keep up the pressure over rising prices, rents, and electricity bills.
A symbolic march through the capital
On Saturday, 5 September, dozens of demonstrators took part in the ‘Empty Baskets March’ in Dakar, part of the ’30 Days for a Fair Price’ initiative. The procession set off from the Castors district and headed towards the Jet-d’Eau roundabout.
Protesters chose a simple but powerful symbol: empty baskets, bowls, and kitchen utensils, highlighting the daily struggle many households face to make ends meet. Placards and chants focused on several key demands, including the price of food, housing costs, and electricity bills, particularly the prepaid Woyofal system.
Born online, now on the streets
The movement began online a few days earlier. The ’30 Days for a Fair Price’ campaign was started by consumers and content creators who are denouncing the rising cost of living and calling for measures to boost purchasing power.
Before the march, the movement claimed to have over 3,000 supporters, and it also urged a gradual boycott of certain goods considered too expensive. Influencer Bathie Drizzy, one of the co-founders, has been a key figure in the campaign. After the march, he stressed that the initiative is apolitical. ‘No political actor is behind us,’ he said, explaining that the goal is to draw the authorities’ attention to the difficulties people are facing.
Soaring prices fuel the anger
The campaign is grounded in very real concerns. The price of meat has risen sharply: a kilogram of beef, previously around 4,000 CFA francs, can now reach 5,500 CFA francs, while mutton is sold for up to 7,000 CFA francs in some outlets. These figures are based on reported observations and do not represent an official national price.
But the issue goes beyond food. Demonstrators also highlighted rents, electricity, and other everyday expenses. This broadening of demands gives the movement a wider scope than a simple protest over the price of a few products.
Political reactions emerge
Saturday’s march drew political responses, including from Aldiouma Sow, described as an adviser to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. In a Facebook post, he sharply criticised the mobilisation and urged young participants to focus on work, condemning what he called ‘populist messianism’.
This reaction is not an official government position, but it shows that the movement is starting to provoke reactions within the presidential camp. Meanwhile, the high cost of living continues to dominate Senegal’s press review this Monday, 7 September, a sign that the issue has moved beyond just the weekend’s protest.
Plans to keep up the momentum
The organisers do not see the march as a one-off event. After the rally, the ’30 Days for a Fair Price’ collective welcomed the turnout and announced further actions. The question now is whether this campaign can become a lasting force in public debate and secure concrete responses from the authorities.
The government has recently made purchasing power, prices, and rents a priority. The Council of Ministers on 2 September called for stronger price-control measures and faster rent regulation. The ’empty baskets’ mobilisation thus comes at a time when street pressure and government announcements are converging on the same issue: the daily budget of Senegalese households.
A movement to watch
For now, the protest is mainly driven by citizens and social media activists. It is not yet a nationwide movement comparable to a structured political campaign. But its potential is clear: it touches directly on food, housing, electricity, and purchasing power – four concerns that affect a large part of the population. Unlike classic political disputes, the question raised by the ’empty baskets’ is simple: how much does daily life cost for a Senegalese household today, and what can the government realistically do to make it more affordable?