Serigne Mbayé

Serigne Mbayé Diouf (born 1975) is a Senegalese and Spanish activist and politician. He migrated to Spain in 2006 due to reduced opportunities in fishing in Senegal. He lived as a hawker on the streets of Madrid and set up a trade union, the Sindicato Popular de Vendedores Ambulantes, to advocate for those involved in the same trade. A member of Podemos, he served in the Assembly of Madrid from 2021 to 2023, as its first black member.

Biography Mbayé was born in Kayar, Senegal. After his baccalaureate, he became a fisherman, as was his family's tradition. He fished for ten years, until climate change and the rise of European trawlers reduced the economic viability of his work.

Mbayé was the subject of the 2023 documentary Serigne vs the EU, produced by Al Jazeera as part of their Witness strand. The title refers to his trip to Brussels to argue in favour of fairer fishing and border policy between the European Union and Senegal. The film was nominated for an International Emmy Award for Best Documentary.

Mbayé volunteered on the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza, aboard the Sirius. He was detained by the Israeli Navy.