Gabon: in the atmosphere of the spontaneous night markets in Libreville

#Gabon : Despite numerous operations organized by the town hall of Libreville once morest the anarchic occupation of the municipal domain, the outlaws continue to roam the sidewalks, especially at night.

It is 7:30 p.m. and night is slowly falling on Libreville. At a place called Rond-point de Nkembo, in the 2nd arrondissement of the Gabonese capital, the traffic jam is spreading to the streets, but not only because of the rush hour. Indeed, sellers have installed their goods, preventing by this congestion the passage of people who return from their places of work and want more than anything to find a taxi.

Passers-by are presented with shoes, underwear and sometimes food that traders in the surrounding markets have been unable to sell during the day. The bravest settled at the entrance of the department stores which have already closed for the night. Without the slightest fear, since the town hall does not work at night. They settle where and how they want, making circulation difficult.

The reasons given to justify the choice of the night for their commercial activities are: it is necessary to liquidate the stock of goods, the salesmen / saleswomen are educated during the day, and above all it is necessary to avoid the taxes of the communal markets. “It is often at night that there are more customers. So we take advantage of people who leave the service in the evening to make a few profits,” says Chantrin Ndong, student in the morning and auction seller in the evening.

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For Simon James, a regular at the “Nkembo Soir” market, the reason for choosing to sell during the night is simple: “During the day the police bother us. However, with the current health context, we do not gain much. But before, we managed anyway,” he complains.

Indeed, the police and municipal agents are trying to put an end to this urban disorder, through regular operations to clear public roads. But in vain chase the natural, it comes back at a gallop. “They forget it’s vacation time. They must let the youth work to collect the money for school supplies. If we have the police coming to bother us, that’s not it anymore. At any time, we flee with the goods. Stop bothering us, that’s the real problem,” says Patrick Wouahey, coordinator of the “Nkembo Soir” market.

The anarchic occupation of the public highway to exercise trades is strictly prohibited in Gabon. However, the insufficiency of public markets and spaces equipped for trade is a not insignificant fact which may explain this situation.