By Biran Gaye
In a tense standoff, the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) is currently facing pushback from street vendors around Serekunda Market who fear that relocation would diminish their visibility to potential customers and income.
The situation escalated this week as vendors protested against KMC’s decision to clear the street vendors off the premises of the Serekunda Market.
The situation became more charged on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 as municipal police officers continue to raid street vendors daily, leading to resistance and uncertainty in the affected vendors, who demanded fair treatment.
This culminated in the intervention of PIU officers, who fired teargas to disperse the crowded vendors after stones were reportedly pelted at one another. As the police taskforce came to restore sanity, this reporter witnessed them destroying street vendors’ furniture and piling it up along the Sayerr Jobe Avenue. Some street vendors were arrested and detained at the Serekunda Police Station as investigations open up, the head of the police taskforce told Foroyaa.
The KMC’s decision aims to regulate the growing number of street vendors, which officials argue contributes to traffic congestion and public safety concerns. The council claims that the new mechanism is necessary to maintain order in the bustling streets of Serekunda, where vendors play a significant role in the local economy.
They argue that relocating would not only diminish their visibility to potential customers but also threaten their income sources. With the main roadway leading into the market frequently blocked by vendor setups, customers have found it increasingly difficult to access storefronts, leading to frustrations from both shoppers and shop owners.
A representative for the vendors shared their struggles, stating, “We have occupied this space for years. If we move, we lose our clientele. This street has always been our source of livelihood, and we are not ready to give that up.” Many vendors depend on the foot traffic generated along the main road, believing that their presence there is essential to drawing in customers.
However, street vendors argue that this new action threatens their livelihoods. Many of them have been working in the same locations for years, providing affordable goods and services to the public. The restrictions on specific locations, many believe, will severely limit their ability to earn a living.
“We’re not against regulations, but we need to have a say in how they’re implemented,” said Abdou, a street vendor found in the Sayerr Jobe Avenue. “Many of us are sole breadwinners for our families, and this will only push us deeper into financial crisis.”
“We are responsible Gambians, who needs their concerns to be considered,” one street vendor from Tabokoto told Foroyaa. “Do they want us to resort to violent or criminal means to feed our families?”
However, this standoff comes amid concerns raised by local shop owners who are feeling the pinch of blocked access.
“It’s unfair. Our customers can’t even get to our shops because of the vendors clogging the streets,” lamented Babading Sillah, auditor at the market union and a shop owner near the market entrance. “Without a steady flow of customers, many businesses are struggling to stay afloat.”
Despite the council’s intentions to regulate the market and collect daily duties, many question the rationale behind enforcing payment when the ultimate goal is to stop street sales altogether.
Sillah vendor remarked, “Given that KMC collects daily duties from these vendors, it gives a bit of legitimacy. But why should they collect fees when they have already decided that no one should sell on the roads?”
In response to the growing unrest, KMC has promised to revisit to engage in dialogue with the vendor community.
“We understand the concerns and we are committed to finding a solution that works for everyone,” said Serekunda Market Manager Modou Njie. “We have informed the street vendors of the council’s plan to relocate them to the inside of the market (Mbarri Dembo). Anyone street vendor who wants a space would be allocated free of charge. What is required is, every day you have to pay the daily fees, which is D10.”
Mbarri Dembo, once a bustling hub for up to 200 vendors, has recently undergone demolition to make way for new construction. Plans are in place to create several canteens, which the council hopes will be completed “maybe after the feast,” says Njie.
However, this anticipated development has led to uncertainty for the street vendors currently occupying the road around the market.
“This isn’t the first year we’ve faced this dilemma,” the KMC official explained.
Past attempts to relocate vendors have included moving operations to the Buffer zone and other areas like Jeshwan, but those efforts were met with resistance.
“The hard fact is, we can identify this place, but we cannot force them to go there,” they added.
Seasoned vendor collectors attest that change is often met with hesitance.
“Change is always a problem for some individuals. This street has been home to one-tail sales for as long as I can remember,” commented the market manager.
The vendors’ fight for their livelihoods is intertwined with the need for a cohesive market experience that fosters an environment welcoming to shoppers. The future of the market hinges on addressing these tensions: how to preserve the vibrancy of the vendor scene while ensuring that access to main shops remains open and appealing to consumers.
The standoff highlights the ongoing challenges faced by urban authorities in managing informal economies while ensuring the rights and livelihoods of those who depend on them. As negotiations continue, many are hoping for a resolution that can balance the needs of the municipality with the voices of its street vendors.
Mayor Talib Bensouda spoke on West Coast Radio on April during the program Coffee Time with Peter Gomez, addressing the issue of street vending and the “Wanterr” sales. He was featured in the same program on Wednesday to speak about the violence happening in the market. He clarified that the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) is not officially involved in organizing the Wanterr sales but did not rule out the possibility of supporting it during the 2025 Tobaski festival. He explained that in the past, the Wanterr events were not officially sanctioned by the council.
Bensouda said that last year, market shop owners complained about the Wanterr sales, and there was a debate about whether to allow it. In the end, the majority supported holding the Wanterr, but when Tobaski came, vendors decided against it, and the market committee voted to oppose the event.
He noted that the council collected revenue during the Koriteh Wanterr of 2024 but did not generate revenue during the 2024 Tobaski because the market committee voted against it. “It happened anyway, but we did not make any income,” he said.
The mayor acknowledged that the council’s efforts to prevent Wanterr are hampered by limited manpower. “KMC has 200 police officers, but only 2 to 3 municipal police pickups,” he said. He stressed the need to coordinate with the Gambia Police Force’s Mobile Police, the Police Intervention Units, and border control to effectively manage vendor activities.
He concluded, “If KMC alone is left to determine whether Wanterr can happen or not, that is going to be difficult. What we told the market people is that whether we like it or not, we cannot control whether this happens or not.”
Modou Njie, the Serekunda Market Manager, confirmed that the KMC applied for and was granted a permit from the Gambia Police Force to hold the Wanterr sales. However, following violence on Monday, the council decided to cancel the event.
Njie said the violence was triggered by disagreements within the market community. The council intended to close roads and demarcate spaces for vendors to conduct promotional sales ahead of Tobaski. However, some individuals and committee members opposed the council’s plans.
Before the clashes, discussions were held with the police, and the KMC Chief Executive Officer visited the market, leading to the decision to cancel the Wanterr. “The clash began when they were trying to stop the Wanterr,” Njie said.
He emphasized that it was the council who applied for the Wanterr permit and intended it for the vendors inside the market. “Those opposing it said ‘no to Wanterr.’ The council made sure there was no Wanterr,” he added.
Njie recalled that during the past Koriteh festival, it was decided there should be no Wanterr. The permit was originally sought to increase revenue collection during Tobaski, as revenue during Koriteh was low.
“When we realized the Wanterr would cause misunderstandings between vendors and the council, we decided to cancel it,” Njie said. He noted that announcing the cancellation was what triggered the clash between supporters and opponents of the Wanterr.
The council maintains that the suspension of Wanterr sales continues.
