Senegal to ease some lockdown restrictions after protests escalate

The Senegalese government is to ease some coronavirus restrictions after two days of violent protests erupt in the capital, Dakar.

The ‘dawn-till-dusk’ curfew is to be shortened by two hours and inter-regional travel is once again to be permitted.

The restrictions had been in place since the country first entered lockdown in March, as Senegal scrambled to protect its already weak public healthcare system.

Patience has worn thin, however, from small business owners and the self-employed who have been most severely hit by the restrictions. Many workers in Senegal operate on a day-by-day basis, leaving little in the way of financial security during times of hardship.

In Dakar on Wednesday, protestors set car tyres alight and threw rocks at armed police who responded with tear gas.

Interior Minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye told a news conference on Thursday that the government had listened to the protesters’ complaints and will implement measures to prop up the economy.

"Gatherings in public or private places, restaurants, gyms, casinos will also benefit from these relaxation measures," he said.

President Macky Sall has also promised to give three billion CFA francs to sectors that have been particularly affected by the lockdown measures, including transport and tourism. These measures are part of the government’s plan to “gradually ease” the country of lockdown and restart the economy without overrunning the healthcare system.

Schools had also been due to reopen on Tuesday, but were delayed due to a fresh outbreak of Covid-19 cases in teachers in the southern region of Casamance.

Photo: Reuters