Traders shut shops in protest over informal business invasion in Iringa
What you need to know:
- Shops remained firmly shut, while even the usually bustling machinga who typically line roadsides and drainage channels were noticeably absent.
Iringa. Commercial activity in Iringa Municipality came to a standstill on Monday morning, 12 May 2025, after hundreds of shopkeepers, market vendors and informal sector traders—popularly known as machinga—refused to open their businesses for over four hours, protesting what they described as the unchecked invasion of unauthorised traders into designated business areas.
A survey by The Citizen found key trading centres, including Central Market, Mlandege Market, and major commercial streets such as Ipogolo, Mkwawa and Mashine Tatu, deserted.
Shops remained firmly shut, while even the usually bustling machinga who typically line roadsides and drainage channels were noticeably absent.
Iringa Regional Secretary of the Tanzania Traders Association (popularly known by its Kiswahili abbreviation as JWT), Mr Benito Mtende, confirmed in a telephone interview that leaders of the traders were locked in a closed-door meeting to finalise a petition to be presented to the Iringa Regional Commissioner, Mr Peter Serukamba.
“We are currently in a closed meeting, preparing to go to the Regional Commissioner to formally submit our concerns. Once we’re done, we’ll issue an official statement to the media,” said Mr Mtende.
The decision to halt business was reached last week during a consultative meeting convened by JWT, where members resolved to down tools in protest against what they termed as unfair competition and harassment from informal traders operating outside designated zones.
This marks the second major protest by traders in recent months. About two months ago, they threatened to boycott levies imposed by the Iringa Municipal Council over rising taxes and increased encroachment by informal vendors.
That protest was shelved after the Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Exaud Kigahe, intervened and pledged to resolve their concerns within 15 days—a commitment the traders now say has not been fulfilled.
In a move aimed at de-escalating tensions, the Iringa Municipal Council issued a public address announcement on Sunday night, directing all unlicensed traders to immediately vacate the restricted areas.
As of Monday morning, many parts of the town remained calm, with no visible presence of informal traders—though formal businesses remained closed.
The Citizen will continue to monitor developments, including the outcome of the meeting between JWT officials and the Regional Commissioner, as efforts to resolve the business impasse unfold.
