Bajaji drivers in Mbeya have agreed to resume work after the government intervened in a dispute over transport routes, directing regional authorities to review how public transport operators share roads and access busy areas of the city.
The agreement follows a strike that disrupted transport services, highlighting tensions between bajaji drivers and daladala operators over operating arrangements.
The Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), Prof Riziki Shemdoe, on Thursday directed Mbeya Regional Commissioner Jumanne Sagini to form a team to assess the routes used by bajajis and daladalas and recommend a lasting solution.
The team has been given 14 days to submit its findings, with representatives from the regional administration, the Land Transport Regulatory Authority (LATRA), Mbeya City Council, petty traders, bodaboda riders, bajaji drivers and daladala operators expected to participate.
The intervention comes as the government plans to construct a market for petty traders at the former Mbeya Airport site, raising the need for transport arrangements that allow traders and customers to access the area without creating further disputes among operators.
Prof Shemdoe said the conflict had partly resulted from inadequate consultation with bajaji drivers during the implementation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s directives to improve their safety.
He instructed the regional administration to ensure that the assessment considers the concerns of all transport groups and identifies routes that allow them to operate alongside one another.
“Among the tasks to be undertaken is to tour the entire city of Mbeya to determine where bajajis will operate, which routes daladalas will use, and how transport routes can be organised to provide access to the area where the petty traders’ market will be built,” Prof Shemdoe said.
The team is expected to identify suitable operating areas for bajajis, establish routes for daladalas and recommend transport connections to the planned market.
For residents, the dispute has underscored the importance of reliable public transport, particularly for people who depend on bajajis and daladalas to travel to work, businesses and other daily activities.
The government’s challenge will be to ensure that the proposed arrangements address drivers’ concerns while maintaining affordable and accessible transport services for passengers.
Following the meeting, Prof Shemdoe and representatives of bajaji drivers agreed that the drivers should return to work as the government prepares new arrangements.
Bajaji drivers’ representative Damas Mwakalinga thanked the minister for listening to their concerns, saying they were ready to cooperate with the government.
He also pledged their support for efforts by President Samia to improve safety and maintain peace in Mbeya Region.
The review is expected to provide a basis for resolving the dispute, although its effectiveness will depend on whether the recommendations reflect the practical needs of transport operators, traders and passengers.
The 14-day deadline gives the regional administration an opportunity to move beyond the immediate restoration of services and establish clear operating arrangements that can reduce future conflicts.
For now, bajaji drivers are expected to resume operations while the government works towards a solution to the dispute.