The movement against the high cost of living took to the streets in Dakar on Saturday, moving beyond social media. The “March of Empty Baskets,” part of the “30 Days for a Fair Price” campaign, drew dozens of participants who walked from the Castors neighborhood to the Jet-d’Eau roundabout.

Protesters carried empty baskets, bowls, and kitchen utensils as a powerful symbol of the struggles households face in covering daily expenses. Signs and chants highlighted demands related to food prices, housing costs, and electricity bills, with particular criticism aimed at the prepaid Woyofal electricity system.

Movement born online

The initiative first emerged on the internet a few days earlier. The “30 Days for a Fair Price” campaign was launched by consumers and content creators who are denouncing the rising cost of living and calling for measures to protect purchasing power.

Prior to the march, the movement claimed over 3,000 supporters and had urged a gradual boycott of certain overpriced products. Influencer Bathie Drizzy, one of the co-founders, has been a key figure. After the march, he stressed the apolitical nature of the effort, stating, “No political actor is behind us,” and emphasizing that the goal is to draw authorities’ attention to the difficulties people are facing.

Prices spark anger

The campaign is rooted in concrete concerns. Reports have highlighted rising meat prices, with beef that was once around 4,000 CFA francs per kilogram now reaching up to 5,500 CFA francs, and mutton selling for as much as 7,000 CFA francs in some outlets. These figures are based on market surveys and do not represent an official national price.

The issue extends beyond food. Demonstrators also voiced concerns about rent, electricity, and other everyday expenses. This broadening of demands gives the movement a wider scope than a simple protest over a few products.

Political pressure mounts

Saturday’s march drew political reactions, including from Aldiouma Sow, described as an adviser to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. In a Facebook post, he sharply criticized the mobilization and urged young participants to focus on work, denouncing what he called “populist messianism.”

This reaction does not represent an official government stance, but it indicates that the movement is beginning to elicit responses from within the presidential camp.

Meanwhile, the high cost of living continues to dominate Senegalese media coverage this Monday, September 7, showing that the issue now extends beyond the weekend’s events.

Movement to continue

Organizers do not view the march as an isolated event. Following the gathering, the “30 Days for a Fair Price” collective praised the turnout and announced further actions. The key question now is whether this campaign can sustain momentum in public discourse and secure concrete responses from the government.

The government itself has recently prioritized purchasing power, prices, and rents. The Council of Ministers on September 2 called for strengthening price control mechanisms and accelerating rent regulation. The “empty baskets” protest thus comes at a time when street pressure and government announcements are converging on the same issue: the daily household budget in Senegal.

A movement to watch

For now, the mobilization is primarily driven by citizens and social media figures. It is not yet a structured national movement akin to a political campaign. However, its potential is significant: the issues of food, housing, electricity, and purchasing power resonate with a large portion of the population. Unlike typical political controversies, the “empty baskets” question is straightforward: what does daily life cost for a Senegalese household today, and what can the government realistically do to make it more affordable?