DAR ES SALAAM: TRADERS will resume business in the two renovated Kariakoo markets from next month, Authorities have said.
The Board of the Kariakoo Markets Corporation made the revelation on Friday after inspecting and assessing the progress of the market’s renovation.
Board Chairperson, Ms Hawa Ghasia, told reporters that everything was going as planned and that traders would be allowed to open their businesses in the markets by August.
The inspection aimed to assess the speed of renovation and plan the time for resuming businesses at the facility.
Ms Ghasia said the board was satisfied with the construction progress, indicating that the markets would be ready for use by August.
“We have inspected the sites, and overall, we are pleased with the pace of construction, although we urge the contractor to expedite the work because we plan to move traders into these markets by August,” emphasised former Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office for Regional Administration and Local Government, Ghasia.
She noted that the remaining major tasks include installing seven elevators and doors for the stalls.
She said that out of the seven required elevators, three had already been delivered and would be installed in the smaller market.
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According to Ms Ghasia, the board and market management had completed all necessary procedures to ensure traders return to the markets.
These procedures include verifying the traders and allocating them areas to resume businesses. “
We have completed the verification process, on July 10, this year, we will upload the names of traders who have met the required qualifications.
Then three days will be provided for traders to verify their names on the list, and make sure all qualified traders are included,” she noted.
According to Ghasia, more than 800 traders who previously had stalls in the markets had been identified and would be allocated areas within the two markets.
“During the verification process, we found that some individuals owned more than four stalls, some six, and others eight, no one is going to get more than one stall,” explained Ms Ghasia.
The verification revealed that some stall owners had passed away, some had rented their stalls to others, and some did not show up for the verification process.
She elaborated that if there were any human errors during the verification process, eligible traders who did not see their names on the list should follow the necessary procedures within three days.
The list of traders would be available on the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Administration (TAMISEMI) website, the Kariakoo Markets Corporation website, at the Kisutu Market Manager’s office, and that of the Machinga Complex manager.
New traders would have a transparent process to apply to join the markets through the Tausi Portal. Ms Ghasia also revealed that the verification process was inclusive to minimise complaints.
On behalf of the board, Ghasia commended the sixthphase government for providing 28bn/- for the construction of both markets. Kariakoo Market was destroyed by fire on the night of July 10, 2021.
The government allocated 28bn/- for the renovation alongside the construction of a new 8-story market adjacent to it.
Both markets have been enhanced with special fire suppression systems installed in each stall and business frame to prevent future fire accidents.
