Kariakoo reopens for business after three-day stoppage
What you need to know:
- An observation made by The Citizen yesterday in Kariakoo testifies that most traders and buyers were busy doing their business as usual.
Dar es Salaam. After a three-day strike, businesses at Kariakoo Market resumed normal operations yesterday as traders awaited the outcome of the team formed to address their issues.
The strike was called to protest “multiple taxes, mistreatment, and other related concerns,” prompting a meeting with Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, who organised a 14-member committee comprised of traders and government officials.
The traders expressed confidence in the government’s decision to organise the committee, which will meet for two weeks.
The protest began on Monday and lasted through Wednesday over what traders claimed were excessive taxes levied by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). It came to an end on Wednesday evening when Mr Majaliwa persuaded traders that the government would address their concerns.
Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, a trader named Ahmed Hussein, who sells mobile phones, said he lost “a lot of money.”
“For the past three days of this strike, basically, I incurred losses, but I appreciate the government for listening to our grievances, and we hope they will work on them for the sustainability of the business,” he said.
Among the grievances aired by traders were a heavy tax burden, inefficiency in the electronic fiscal devices (EFDs) system, harassment, frequent seizure of foreign buyers by the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and “arrogance” among regulatory authorities.
An observation made by The Citizen yesterday in Kariakoo testifies that most traders and buyers were busy doing their business as usual.
During the meeting with Prime Minister Majaliwa, which was held at Mnazi Mmoja, he outlined a number of measures, including the setting up of a committee comprising government officials and traders’ representatives.
For his part, the chairman of the Kariakoo Traders, Mr Martin Mbwana, has said that businessmen are satisfied with the decision by the Prime Minister to form a committee to review all the complaints made, process them, and then send recommendations. He said that the action of the businessmen to stop the strike and open the shops shows how they believe in the committee formed.
“We have received this responsibility, and we are going to carry it out with great loyalty. After being given this responsibility, we are going to meet first to choose who will be the chairman and who will be the secretary, and then we will start working,” he said.
Another trader, Ms Martha Selestine, said that the business resumption has shown how the government intends to solve the challenges they face.
“We have faith in the government and the committee that was formed yesterday, and they will work on our grievances.”
“I had already given up doing business because of mistreatment, but this statement from the government has restored my faith in business.”
