Traders urge govt to provide utilities at new market site

DODOMA: A TOTAL of 296 traders who were operating at Rehema Nchimbi Market in Dodoma City have appealed to the government to provide water and electricity services at their new relocation site in Umonga to enable them to construct stalls on time.

The appeal was made in the capital recently by the Chairperson of the Conflict Resolution Committee, Mr Norbert Pangaselo, while addressing reporters on challenges facing traders relocated to the new site along Bahi Road. The traders were moved from the former Rehema Nchimbi Market area after the land was taken over by the Parliamentary Office.

Mr Pangaselo said the traders are requesting the government to fasttrack the provision of essential services such as water and electricity to enable them to quickly construct their stalls and resume economic activities.

“We appeal to our responsive government to expedite the provision of key infrastructure, including electricity and water, so that we, smallscale traders who complied with the relocation directive, can build our stalls and continue with our businesses,” he said.

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He also noted that once the market is fully established, there will be a need for reliable public transport services, including commuter buses, to support business operations at the new site.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of Umonga Market, Mr Godfrey Tarimo, said the government’s decision to allocate the new site will help traders safeguard their capital after remaining idle for several months.

“We have spent about six months without conducting business after being instructed to vacate the previous market. Therefore, we strongly urge the government to expedite these services, which we believe will facilitate the construction of our stalls,” he said.

Mr Tarimo said the market will accommodate various groups of traders once completed, including food vendors, tailors, second-hand clothes sellers, mobile phone vendors, barbershops, salons and other service providers, including financial services.