Tanzania: Petty Traders Call On Govt for Permanent Business Centres

By Abela Msikula

THE Kariakoo Petty Traders' Association in Dar es Salaam has asked the government to introduce a special mechanism to enable its members to establish permanent trading centres.

The association's chairperson, Mr Steven Lusinde, appealed to the government on Wednesday during the launch of Ilala District Business Council, saying apart from the freedom to do business anywhere it was causing inconveniences to other traders and people.

"We appreciate government efforts to support petty traders that have stabilised small-scale businesses. We now feel indebted to express our gratitude to the government through daily contributions of at least 500/- per head to establish permanent trading centres," he said.

The chairperson further said he appreciated the government on free levy of business they had been practising for about five years now, stressing that they were able and ready to give back to the government through such small contributions.

He added that small contributions from the current 10,000 petty traders in Kariakoo can make them switch from small to larger scale enterprises, once supervised, hence, contributing into the national economy through taxes.

"One of the major investments Kariakoo petty traders have been discussing in common is the introduction of Machingas Bank, the goal will be achieved through daily contributions," insisted Mr Lusinde.

Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) Acting Director Zachy Mbenna supported the idea, saying the petty traders would have more contributions to the national economy once they were well-organised and supervised.

One of the means to organise petty traders is to connect them with big enterprises, where the two sides will enter agreements basing on a win-win situation.

"This technique has multiple benefits, including helping them to avoid selling not only imported, but also fake products. About 80-90 per cent of petty traders do this kind of business, which gives them a very minimal profit and sometimes nothing at all. Thus, they should be supported to be more productive. "If this works, it means petty traders will have permanent addresses, one of the steps that will help them secure bank loans for the expansion of their business capital," he added.