VZCZCXRO6121
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHDK #1114/01 2441439
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 011439Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY DAKAR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3001
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 001114 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL AND INR/AA 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS:              
SUBJECT: Flooding in Dakar Angers Local Population 
 
DAKAR 00001114  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
 1. (SBU) Almost a week after a massive storm hit Dakar, much of the 
city and its low-lying suburbs remain flooded.  Despite the fact 
that the rains and the consequent flooding is a predictable annual 
occurrence, the government was once again caught unprepared and is 
trying to blame newly-elected opposition mayors for being unable to 
cope with the crisis.  On August 27, Prime Minister Soulayemane 
Ndene Ndiaye visited several of the affected areas where he 
announced that some USD 20 million in emergency funds would be 
released to assist those in need.  End Summary. 
 
Flooded Areas 
------------- 
 
 2. (SBU) The worst of the flooding has been in the highly populated 
and sometimes volatile Dakar suburbs of Pikine, Guediawaye, 
Yeumbeul, Jiddah, Mbao, Thiaroye, Kaw, and Gounass where small 
streets and homes have been totally washed away by floodwaters.  On 
August 25, the National Highway leading out of Dakar was so flooded 
that some people who live ten miles from downtown reported spending 
seven to ten hours on the road.  There are also widespread reports 
of people leaving their homes because water from septic tanks and 
cemeteries mixed with rain water has invaded their houses.  A deputy 
from Guediawaye quipped to Emboff, "the situation is grave, people 
in my area are still quiet but it may well be the calm before the 
storm." 
 
 3. (SBU) In Mbao, which was visited by two Embassy officers, 58 
neighborhoods out of 76 were affected by flooding.  More than 100 
families are still living in stagnant waters where they cook, eat, 
and sleep under the ever present threat of malaria and cholera. 
Most people want to leave but they are too poor and have no means to 
pay expensive rents. 
 
Causes 
------ 
 
 4. (SBU) While the flooding this year is spread over a wider area 
than last, rainfall levels have been fairly low.  The August 24 
storm is just the fourth major rain since July and it was just 54 
millimeters.  According to meteorologists, the flooded areas still 
have water from last year's rains because the water table is so high 
in the affected zones.  To make matters worse new infrastructure, 
such as a new highway out of Dakar, crosses an area that had been 
set aside to collect rain water.  Thus, even though firemen are 
equipped with huge pumps capable of pumping 700 cubic meters of 
water per hour, they have no place to put the water they might 
remove. 
 
 5. (SBU) The suburb of Grand Yoff, which sits in a geological 
depression, is a stark case in point for the adverse effects of 
corruption as the area now features a massive housing project 
initiated by members of the ruling party and their associates that 
stands on government land near Dakar's International Fairground and 
External Trade Center.  This haphazardly constructed project lacks 
adequate drainage and all the rain water that used to filtrate into 
the soil now runs directly into Grand Yoff.  Meanwhile, both the 
mayors of Golf and Mbao told Emboffs that the lack of an 
urbanization strategy, emergency response and sanitation plans, and 
environmental canals, along with poor urban management were the main 
causes of the floods.  They also underlined that the government had 
not made any effort during the past year to build pipes to drain the 
water. 
 
Angry and desperate 
------------------- 
 
 6. (SBU) Almost all the municipal governments in the flooded areas 
are new and mostly from various factions of the opposition Benno 
Siggil Senegaal coalition.  A foreshadowing of what was to come took 
place in April when the new municipal teams immediately complained 
about a chronic lack of funding, citing annual flooding as a key 
future challenge.  In a recent trip to the affected areas the leader 
of the Socialist Party, Ousmane Tanor Dieng recalled the April 
discussions, "When our mayors took over we predicted that dealing 
with annual floods would be the first major test of their 
management.  As far as I can see, the people at least feel that, 
unlike the government, the mayors are trying to do something for 
them."  Both political camps are using the disaster to blame each 
other.  The ruling party seems determined to use this crisis to show 
that opposition parties are incapable of solving problems, while the 
opposition is claiming that the government is deliberately 
withholding funds. 
 
 7. (SBU) The people in the flooded areas are desperate and angry as 
they have been forced to vacate their homes.  A local city 
government official told Emboffs that people are being forced to 
live on the terraces of their homes or being given shelter by 
relatives.  School directors, who last year sheltered some of those 
 
DAKAR 00001114  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
affect by flooding, are reluctant to do so again this year because 
last year people refused to vacate the premises until well into 
October.  Citizens that Emboffs talked to faulted the government for 
not taking early emergency measures to prevent what everyone knew 
was coming.  They underlined a lack of planning and a feeling of 
helplessness. 
 
No Major Protests Yet 
--------------------- 
 
 8. (SBU) For the time being, the situation in and around Dakar 
remains fairly calm.  An authorized protest rally by youth 
associations in Mbao ended peacefully.  Other peaceful rallies 
protesting the lack of government assistance were held in Pikine 
with marchers holding signs stating "we're tired of not being 
assisted."  So far, the strongest reaction has been from the 
Socialist Party.  In a statement, Dieng criticized President Wade 
for not caring about his people as he spends his vacation in 
luxurious accommodations in Switzerland. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
 9. (SBU) The ruling party thinks it has situation under control 
because of its having co-opted important religious leaders and 
opinion makers to divide a non-combative opposition.  However, the 
situation is getting steadily worse because the flooding comes at a 
time when Dakar is suffering from daily power cuts.  If nothing is 
done to help the urban poor soon, the flooding could well be the 
spark that starts more outspoken and vigorous political protest 
against a government that is still reeling from a major defeat at 
the polls last March. 
 
Bernicat