Animal abuse and cart races in Touba: the cry of alarm from the Caliph’s spokesperson

The mistreatment of animals and speed races organized by carters in Touba concerned the Caliph General of the Mourides. In a statement made this Friday, September 25, 2026, its spokesperson, Serigne Bassirou Mbacké Abdou Khadre, called on the actors concerned to take their responsibilities to put an end to these practices.

In Touba, cart races attract many young people, but they also raise concerns about the treatment of the animals used to pull the teams. Horses and donkeys are sometimes subjected to significant physical effort. According to the spokesperson for the Caliph General of the Mourides, some were even drugged to participate in the races.

These questions were at the heart of the declaration by Serigne Bassirou Mbacké Abdou Khadre, delivered in the presence of the sub-prefect of Ndame, the special commissioner of Touba and the deputy commander of the gendarmerie. From the outset, he denounced the mistreatment of animals. According to him, some owners make them pull excessively heavy loads, a practice he considers contrary to the recommendations of Islam.

The Caliph’s spokesperson called on the perpetrators of these acts to show more humanism towards animals. He insisted on the physical efforts to which horses and donkeys are subjected, believing that these practices can harm their well-being.

In the same vein, Serigne Bassirou Mbacké Abdou Khadre denounced the use of products to stimulate animals during races. “Horses as well as donkeys are drugged to organize races,” he said. In his eyes, this situation goes beyond the sole question of animal protection, since it is also likely to encourage acts of violence between young people.

“These races are often sources of violence between young people,” he noted. The Caliph’s spokesperson thus established a link between these demonstrations and the security problems observed in certain axes of Touba. “People are being attacked. Certain routes are no longer used,” he lamented.

Faced with this situation, he called for better collaboration between the population and the police. In particular, he invited neighborhood delegates to report the practices denounced and asked the special commissioner of Touba to take the necessary measures to combat these activities within the perimeter of the city.