Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has ordered Regional Commissioners (RCs) to reposition petty traders, commonly known as ‘Machinga’, in a way that they conduct their businesses without affecting shop owners.
However, President Samia said the exercise should be conducted peacefully without element of any force.
“May I direct the regional commissioners to take action and properly relocate the hawkers. I don’t want to see forceful evictions but do the exercise in a peaceful and tactful way. Take action without causing chaos,” President Samia said yesterday, while swearing in new ministers and Attorney General at State House in Dodoma.
The new ministers included Dr Stergomena Tax (Defence and National Service), Prof Makame Mbarawa (Works and Transport), January Makamba (Energy) and Dr Ashatu Kijaji (Information, Communication and Information Technology). In the new appointment Dr Eliezer Feleshi becomes new Attorney General (AG).
On other hand, she told the petty traders to follow regulations and laws, and as well heed directives issued by the regional commissioners.
President Samia explained that she was aware that the government has given huge opportunity to petty traders to conduct their business activities as means of creating employments, adding: “However, they have to conduct their activities at different places as per arrangements by regional administrations.
Looking at the current situation, there is laxity in supervising how they operate, as now they have invaded almost every place.
They even put and sell their goods in front of others’ shops, thus block customers from entering the shops. It is unfortunate that these shop-owners normally pay tax, while the petty traders do not.
This situation has forced the shop owners to take their commodities outside the shops and give the petty traders to sell on their behalf, something which denies revenues to the government.”
Her order to the RCs came barely three months following her visit to the popular Kariakoo Market in Dar es Salaam, where she expressed concern on the arrangement of the different wares allocated in various sections.
Speaking to the gathering at the market, President Samia said such arrangements do not support buyers to easily trace goods.
“I have vividly witnessed all pathways blocked and roads, I will sit with the City Council to come up with a good working arrangement which will be adopted by the government,” stated the President.
Last week, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Mr Amos Makalla ordered all petty traders who conduct businesses in informal places including walkways and road reserves to be relocated to other open areas.
The RC issued the directives during his visit to Kariakoo market, where he talked to traders at Msimbazi area.
He said that petty traders who block walkways and road reserves have been causing chaos to pedestrians and hence source of accidents in the region.
Mr Makalla noted that, the directives are not only to petty traders at Kariakoo, but all in Dar es Salaam region.
He further directed Ilala District Commissioner Ng’wilabuzu Ludigija and the chairperson of the petty traders association Stephen Sinde to devise a strategy of relocating petty traders at Msimbazi Kariakoo to Machinga Complex, which has capacity to accommodate 2,000 traders.
He said the area designated for petty traders would allow them to carry out their businesses comfortably without obstructing pedestrians.
