Senegal’s judiciary has been crippled since June 18, as ongoing strike actions by justice sector unions bring courts and tribunals across the country to a virtual standstill.
A new 72-hour strike began on Monday, July 7, intensifying the pressure after a previous 48-hour walkout failed to yield a resolution.
The disruption is spearheaded by the influential SYTJUST and UNTJ unions, whose members—including court clerks and seasoned administrative staff—are demanding the implementation of an agreement signed by the state. Central to their demands is the reclassification of certain judicial personnel to the A2 administrative grade, a promise that union leaders say was negotiated and formalized, but remains unsigned by decree.
“This is not about new demands,” said one union representative. “It is about the failure to honour a commitment. That’s what makes it feel like a betrayal.”
The impact on litigants has been swift and severe.
Court hearings are being postponed indefinitely, administrative services remain shuttered, and the justice system is paralyzed in both urban and rural jurisdictions.
Tensions flared further following recent public remarks by Senegal’s Minister of the Civil Service, whom unions accuse of obstructing negotiations and displaying an unwillingness to resolve the deadlock.
His inflexible stance has become a focal point of union anger, leading them to bypass traditional negotiation channels and appeal directly to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
“We no longer trust in dialogue with the administration,” said a spokesperson on Sud FM radio. “Only the President or Prime Minister can restore faith and unlock this impasse.”
Beyond the technical demand for career reclassification, the strike has spotlighted a broader issue: the undervaluation of judicial staff who operate behind the scenes.
These clerks and mid-level professionals are the pillars of courtroom operations, yet often go unrecognized in national reforms or salary adjustments.
The strike also raises serious questions about the state’s capacity to fulfil its commitments amid a politically sensitive period.
With the justice system already under pressure to adjudicate high-profile cases, any further delay risks eroding public confidence in legal institutions.
As procedural backlogs grow and discontent deepens, observers warn that the situation cannot be allowed to fester.
For a country priding itself on institutional stability, the silence from the highest office is becoming increasingly conspicuous—and untenable.
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