RC Chalamila: Bus Rapid Transit Project at Simu2000 to proceed despite traders’ opposition

Dar es Salaam. The government has maintained its position to proceed with Bus Rapid Transit’s workshop construction project in Ubungo’s Simu 2000 area of Dar es Salaam, despite opposition from traders in the area.

However, it has promised to find ways of implementing the project, which has reached an advanced stage of its construction, without affecting the traders' activities.

The government’s statement comes a week after protests were staged by petty traders, alias "machinga," demanding the suspension of the project being executed by the Dar es Salaam Rapid Transit (DART).

Ubungo Municipal Council, on July 4, 2024, announced to hand over the project area to Dart, a move that ignited strikes by the traders on July 7, 2024.

Following the protests, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila promised to meet with the traders to resolve the matter.

Speaking on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in the Simu2000 area, Mr Chalamila said it was impossible to suspend the project execution that had reached an advanced stage.

He emphasised that the traders should advise how best the project should be executed without disrupting their daily business operations.

However, the RC said some disruptions during the project's implementation would be unavoidable, assuring that things would resolved soon.

"This project must be implemented, keep that in mind. What we are discussing here is how to carry it out while allowing your businesses to continue," he said.

The chairman of the market improvement committee, Mr Mussa Ndile, suggested that if halting the project is not an option, it should be carried out in a way that will not affect the bus station.

He emphasised that the existence of the bus station in the area was vital for the prosperity of the traders' businesses.

"There will be no market if the bus station does not exist; if you remove the station, the market will automatically die and we will have nowhere to go," he said.

However, he said there is no political agenda or pressure behind the traders' actions, but rather they are motivated by their economic circumstances.

According to him, it would be better for the project to be implemented in a multi-storey format to minimise the needed area.

If this is done, he added, the bus station will remain there, allowing the traders to continue doing their businesses.