Municipal Campaign in Chihia (Sfax Governorate) Targets Illegal Sidewalk Occupation
In coordination with the municipal police station of the region, the municipality of Chihia (Sfax Governorate) launched a field campaign to catalog violations related to the excessive exploitation of sidewalks and to take the necessary measures.
This action is part of the broader fight against the phenomenon of over‑use of sidewalks by shop and café owners.
Immediate Removal of Illegal Installations
In an official statement, the municipality emphasized that it removed all equipment illegally installed by certain cafés on the sidewalks. The statement clarified that these campaigns aim to deter practices that obstruct pedestrian traffic and limit citizens’ right to safe sidewalks.
“These campaigns will continue in order to guarantee the restoration of public order and to protect the general interest of road users,” the municipality added.
A Nationwide Effort
It is worth recalling that several similar campaigns against illegal occupation of public roads and sidewalks have been carried out across Tunisia during the first quarter of 2026.
The national campaign is gaining momentum. These operations fit within a national strategy to free urban space and ensure pedestrian safety. Numerous municipalities throughout the country have joined this strategy.
Notable Operations
- 1 March 2026 – Cité El Khadhra, Tunis: A surprise raid by the municipal police targeted sidewalks, hygiene violations, and unauthorized musical evenings in cafés and restaurants of the neighbourhood.
- 12 February 2026 – Greater Tunis Governorates: A large‑scale campaign focused on public safety and compliance with commercial‑exploitation perimeters.
Forgotten Districts Without Municipal Presence
Since January, the fight against illegal stalls and makeshift structures has been effective, with nearly 300 anarchic stalls dismantled that were blocking public thoroughfares. However, many municipalities remain deaf to the problem, not only regarding excessive sidewalk use but also concerning the dangerous proliferation of stray dogs and the deplorable state of roads riddled with potholes.
- Aouina and Soukra—despite their large territories—are not served by a single municipal authority; instead, they fall under the jurisdiction of multiple municipalities.
- These zones lag behind other districts where conditions appear to be improving.
Municipal seats are absent in these areas, and officials are based elsewhere (e.g., Ariana, El Kram, and La Goulette), suggesting different priorities.
It seems that municipal services in Tunisia operate at two speeds. Residents of these neighbourhoods—numbering in the hundreds of thousands, paying taxes and exercising their voting rights—continue to feel ignored and treated as second‑class citizens.
Keywords: sidewalk occupation, municipal campaign, Tunisia 2026, pedestrian safety, illegal stalls, public order, Chihia, Sfax Governorate, urban space, stray dogs, potholes.
