By Alieu Ceesay
A group of furious Bakoteh residents, clad in white shirts symbolizing purity amid filth, stormed the notorious roadside Bakoteh dumpsite on Monday morning, waving banners that screamed “We Can’t Breathe” and “Enough Is Enough.” The protest paralyzed dumping activities along the Bakoteh-Manjai Kunda highway, as residents and young protesters demanded the immediate closure of the overflowing site, which has poisoned their air for decades.
The Bakoteh dumpsite, a sprawling open-air nightmare used by the entire Kanifing Municipality, sits just meters from homes, schools, and mosques. Piles of rotting garbage tower higher than nearby compounds, unleashing a suffocating stench that residents say has triggered relentless asthma attacks, skin rashes, and sleepless nights plagued by swarms of mosquitoes and flies.
“We are dying slowly,” shouted Saffiatou Joof, one of the protest organizers, her voice cracking with rage. “KMC has abandoned us. This place is a death trap. We demand that they stop dumping here today and relocate it far from human beings. Better yet—turn it into a proper recycling center that creates jobs instead of disease.”
Protest leader Aboubacarr Jeng was even more blunt: “We’re not negotiating management. We want it CLOSED—permanently. The mosquitoes, the flies, the smell—people cannot live like this. Anyone responsible, from the mayor downward, will be held accountable.”
The demonstrators marched straight to the dumpsite gates, blocking entry and forcing donkey-cart riders—who waited impatiently on the sidelines—to halt their daily waste runs. The standoff underscored a grim reality: despite years of complaints, relocation remains a distant dream.
Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) has long promised solutions, yet the site continues to swell toward collapse. Residents point to the recent Local Government Commission report exposing millions of dalasi spent on “refurbishment” projects that delivered zero visible improvement—money they claim vanished into corruption while their children cough blood.
Health experts warn the crisis is escalating. Dr. Lamin Fatty, a local physician, told The Alkamba Times: “We’re seeing a spike in respiratory illnesses and diarrheal diseases directly linked to this dumpsite. Leachate is contaminating groundwater. This is environmental terrorism against our people.”
As the population in the Greater Banjul area grows, waste generation has outpaced the development of infrastructure. Monday’s protest signals a breaking point: residents vow escalating action—including lawsuits and nightly vigils—until the site is decommissioned.
“We paid taxes for services, not slow poison,” Joof declared as the crowd chanted, “Close It Now!” Police maintained a low profile, with no arrests reported, but tension hung thick in the air as acrid smoke from burning trash drifted overhead.
KMC Mayor Talib Bensouda remained unreachable for comment despite repeated attempts. Sources inside the council whisper that emergency meetings are underway, fearing the protest could ignite similar uprisings across the municipality’s 27 illegal dumpsites.
For the people of Bakoteh, white shirts have become a symbol of their identity. “If they won’t act,” Jeng warned, clutching a faded Gambian flag, “we’ll shut this place down ourselves—one cart at a time.”
