By Adonis Byemelwa
In
a significant protest at the Simu2000 Market in Ubungo, Dar es Salaam, small
traders, known as "wamachinga," expressed their loss of faith in the
District Commissioner of Ubungo, Hassan Bomboko, over the handling of their
challenges. The traders accused Bomboko of making promises without implementing
any solutions, despite their repeated complaints.
On
Monday, July 8, 2024, the traders decided to close their businesses and stage a
protest, demanding that the Ubungo Municipality reverse its decision to hand
over the market area to the Dar Rapid Transit Agency (Dart). This decision was
announced on July 4, 2024, after a municipal council meeting approved Dart to
build its garage on the site.
Mussa
Ndile, chairman of the market improvement committee, told reporters that they
had agreed to relocate from the streets to the Simu2000 market without any
issues. They were assured that the market would continue to be their permanent
trading place.
Ndile
mentioned that the government's investment of nearly TSh300 million to improve
the market area further solidified their trust. However, they were now alarmed
by the decision to hand over the site to Dart.
The
traders' concern is that they might face repeated displacements, similar to
their situation before the reorganization plan. Rose Ndosi, a trader at the
market, shared that many traders had taken substantial loans through village
Community Banks (Vicoba) and various financial institutions. They now fear
being unable to repay these debts if Dart takes over the market.
According
to Rose, their hope lies with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Trade and
Industry, or President Samia Suluhu Hassan. Security forces began arriving at
the protest, which started at 7:00 AM. Besides closing their businesses, the
traders blocked roads leading to Sinza, preventing vehicles from entering and
exiting the Simu2000 bus terminal.
The
protesters chanted songs like "We don’t want a garage, we want our
market," while carrying placards with messages such as "We don’t want
a Simu2000 garage, Mama Samia come to our rescue." At 9:26 AM, the Ubungo
District Commissioner, Bomboko, arrived with the police, but the traders
demanded he leave.
Former
Ubungo Mayor Boniface Jacob shared insights into the history of the Simu2000
market area. He explained that during
his tenure as Ubungo Ward Councillor (2010-2015), the Kinondoni Municipal
Council purchased the five-acre area, previously owned by the Tanzania Post and
Telecommunications Corporation, for investment projects to boost municipal
revenue.
According
to the ex-mayor, part of the land was allocated for a bus terminal, a public
toilet, and a small business market in 2013. Jacob acknowledged a significant
mistake made by the council: allocating market stalls to councilors and
influential government officials instead of actual traders.
This
misstep led to the market's decline, as those allocated stalls did not engage
in business activities. When Jacob became Mayor of Kinondoni in 2016, efforts
to remove street traders and relocate them to designated areas intensified.
Despite several attempts by the police and
regional commissioner to clear the street traders from the Ubungo intersection,
these efforts were unsuccessful, often resulting in clashes and property
damage.
In
May 2016, Jacob personally visited the street traders at the Ubungo
intersection, without police or security, and persuaded them to move to the
Simu2000 market.
He allowed each trader to choose their
preferred spot, which resulted in a successful relocation. By evening, the
Ubungo intersection was clear of traders for the first time.
Following
the division of Kinondoni and Ubungo municipalities in 2017, the newly formed
Ubungo Municipal Council requested to retain the Simu2000 Market and
Mawasiliano Bus Terminal while ceding the Makumbusho bus terminal and market to
Kinondoni. This agreement included sharing other assets in a 60-40 split
between Kinondoni and Ubungo.
Jacob
expressed his surprise and disappointment at the recent decision by the Ubungo
council to allocate the strategically important Simu2000 market area to Dart
for a garage.
He
disparaged the decision for undermining potential municipal revenue and
excluding the traders from the process, despite significant infrastructure
investments totaling over TSh1 billion to improve the market environment.
These
improvements included the construction of fences, market sheds, public toilets,
stalls, and the provision of electricity and water.
Jacob condemned the decision as
a waste of taxpayers' money and an example of the greed of a few local leaders.
He urged reconsideration, emphasizing the market's importance for the traders
and the community.
The traders' altercation with
authorities highlights a critical issue in major cities like Dar es Salaam,
where job opportunities are scarce.
Many graduates from nearby
universities, such as Tumaini University Dar es Salaam, the Law School of
Tanzania, and the Institute of Social Work, have turned to self-employment at
Mawasiliano market.
Unable to secure lucrative white-collar jobs,
they have become food vendors, tailors, mobile phone mechanics, and barbers,
showcasing their resilience and adaptability in a challenging job market.
The 2022 Tanzania Commission for
Universities (TCU) report says that higher learning institutions produce
100,000 graduates annually, but the government employs less than 20% of them.