In Kédougou, getting around is becoming increasingly difficult. On certain strategic roads in the town, particularly at the town hall roundabout and near the central market, motorists and pedestrians must contend with the presence of stray cows, motorcycle taxis, tricycles, street vendors, and heavy goods vehicles transiting the Dakar-Bamako corridor.

"Every evening, we find entire herds crossing the road. Sometimes, the cows even settle right at the town hall roundabout. It's dangerous, especially for motorcycles," says Aïssatou Camara, a fruit seller at the central market.

Another local resident, Mamadou Ba, believes the situation is getting worse: "Animals shouldn't be wandering around like this in the middle of town. Farmers need to be made aware. We've already seen avoidable accidents caused by this straying."

In addition to the animals, the frequency of heavy goods vehicles further complicates traffic. These road behemoths, which sometimes transport dangerous goods, have a difficult time navigating a narrow and congested roadway.

“Do you see those trucks? They drive through the city every day and create huge traffic jams. We live in constant fear of a serious accident,” warns Mamadou Saliou Diallo, a local resident. He then appeals: “It’s urgent to build a bypass. The solution has been announced for a long time, but nothing has happened yet.”

Added to this is the anarchic occupation of the roadside by street vendors, accentuating the narrowness of the road. Illegal taxis, thiak-thiak, tricycles and pedestrians compete for the same space in almost constant confusion.

For many Kédovins, it is now imperative that local authorities accelerate the construction of the promised bypass. "If nothing is done, we are heading straight for disaster," concludes taxi driver Amadou Diakité.

In the meantime, residents and road users continue to juggle every day with the risks linked to the unlikely coexistence of livestock, heavy goods vehicles and urban traffic.