The petty traders who were resisting the
Ilala Municipal order to vacate the area attacked the motorist who
reportedly ran over their merchandise displayed on the ground.
Police were deployed at the area and
arrested anyone seen doing business along the Msimbazi Street, a move
that made
petty traders to flee.
“It is saddening… after loss of human
life people came to their senses and started to implement city by-laws
that require traders not to occupy the streets … at the expense of shop
owners who pay tax,” said one of the shop owners, who described the move
as a big relief.
“Such crowds are potential hiding places
for criminals if you like,” said another irritated businessperson. The
weeklong survey carried out by ‘Sunday News’ revealed that a motorist
who was driving along the street at around 9.30 pm hit merchandise lying
on the road provoking the crowd to pounce on him.
However, according to some vendors who
spoke on condition of not being named, most of the vendors close their
businesses at around 8:00pm and hooligans left behind are responsible
for mob justice.
This reporter who visited the scene was able to establish that the street is now cleared as motorists drive through smoothly.
However, another version of the killing
had it that the motorist had hit a bodaboda biker as he was escaping
after running over petty traders’ fruit and vegetables.
“These petty traders are selling fruit
and vegetables until late at night and sleep in the street and are the
ones who instigated the motorist to be killed after their products were
destroyed by the vehicle,” he exclaimed.
Meanwhile, the Dar es Salaam Regional
Commissioner, Mr Saidi Meck Sadiki, said that the exercise of evicting
petty traders in restricted areas continues except that it requires
excessive force and more resources.
He also said that other areas which are
currently occupied including the Rapid Transport terminals and Ubungo
will be cleared soon.
“It is unfortunate that sometimes
politicians become a hurdle as they act contrary to what we have agree
upon when it comes to eviction of petty traders,” he said.
He said that the government has
repeatedly expressed concern over such politicians urging them to toe
the line on issues of national interest.
The RC said each municipal council has
its own market space and the infrastructure but it is the petty traders’
mindset that they cannot do business away from the city centre.
“For example when the petty traders were
relocated to Ilala Mchikichini they were reluctant to move but today it
is a lucrative area where they consider it as hot cake,” he explained.
Recently the ‘Sunday News’ reported that
Msimbazi Street in Dar es Salaam was being occupied by petty traders
(Wamachinga) despite orders issued by the Ilala District authorities
that they should relocate their businesses.
The traders who had become a nuisance to
motorists and pedestrians, had obstructed walking pavements along the
famous street, though they claim that they have no alternative or place
to do their businesses
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