The Dar es Salaam municipal authorities have initiated a crackdown on petty traders operating on streets and roadsides, with Kinondoni, Temeke, and Ilala municipalities leading the efforts. The move follows President Samia Suluhu Hassan's directive on September 2, 2026, to establish orderly relocation procedures for small traders. According to the directive, vendors operating in unauthorized spots, including drainage ditches, roadsides, and pedestrian pathways, must vacate immediately.
In Ubungo Municipality, authorities have issued a notice ordering traders to vacate by September 21, 2026, with enforcement running through to September 29, 2026. Affected zones include Mabibo External, Riverside, Manzese, Ubungo-Darajani, and the Kimara-to-Mbezi stretch, areas notorious for sidewalk congestion. The relocation efforts aim to steer small traders back into designated markets, where the government has heavily invested in modern infrastructure.
Trader representatives have clarified that they do not oppose the initiative, provided they are allocated alternative trading spaces. However, complaints have emerged over the confiscation and demolition of traders' working tools, including display tables. Fadhil Masika, a trader in Tandika, reported that his colleagues' tables were taken, but some goods were salvaged.
In Temeke and Kinondoni, spontaneous operations have already cleared vendors from traditional hotspots like road shoulders. Kinondoni District Commissioner, Saady Mtambule, confirmed that his municipality is actively clearing informal spaces and relocating traders into established markets. In Tegeta kwa Ndevu, vendors displaying goods on roadsides have been directed to the Tegeta Nyuki Market, which can accommodate up to 1,200 traders.
Ilala District Commissioner Edward Mpogolo stated that the municipality has cleared vendors from unauthorized locations, including Ilala Boma-Sokoni, Buguruni-Sokoni, Feri, and the City Centre. At Buguruni Sokoni and Ilala Boma, vehicles struggled to pass due to congestion, but the areas are now clear. Mpogolo also noted that Gongo la Mboto lacked a formal market, but all vendors operating directly in the middle of the road have been removed.
Machinga Vice Chairperson Steven Lusinde expressed support for President Hassan's vision for urban cleanliness and city organization. However, he voiced concern over how lower-level officials implement the directives, noting that some traders are displaced without being shown alternative locations. Lusinde argued that certain officials have misinterpreted the directives and stressed that vendors should be organized systematically and their property protected.
Lusinde emphasized that traders trust the government's commitment, citing previous funds allocated for petty trader infrastructure, and are ready to move immediately, even if infrastructure at the new sites is basic. He added that vendors are willing to relocate if provided with formal spaces, noting past instances where traders voluntarily reorganized without requiring force or municipal militia intervention. However, he strongly condemned reports of security forces confiscating vendors' property.
Key points
- The Dar es Salaam municipal authorities have initiated a crackdown on petty traders operating on streets and roadsides.
- The relocation efforts aim to steer small traders back into designated markets, where the government has heavily invested in modern infrastructure.
- Trader representatives have clarified that they do not oppose the initiative, provided they are allocated alternative trading spaces.
