Chinese contractors in Touba may be poised to exit. According to news reports today Henan China is due 12 billion CFA francs in receipts, wages are not being paid and Touba workers--about 250--are set to strike, and even to ransack the Chinese offices.
As noted here before, millions of dollars sent to the central government in Dakar from Touba went missing over the last year. This apparently in some significant part precipitated the Khalif of the Mourides to visit President Wade a couple months back.
The troubles of the Chinese may be elicting delight in some quarters, and moves to assume their work. But the situation does not reflect well on the ability of Touba and Senegal to utilize the capital and technical assistance of other countries. The political problems, murky finances and labor turmoil could thwart Touba's need to obtain modern infrastructure. Still, some are doubtless aware of the irony that the Chinese may be reaping what they sowed.
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