DAR ES SALAAM: THE government has committed to clearing all access roads and neighbouring streets surrounding the New Kariakoo Main Market to ensure 24-hour operations, enhanced security and the protection of the 28bn/- public investment.
Speaking yesterday during the grand opening officiated by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO-RALG), Professor Riziki Shemdoe, said the market’s efficiency depends on unhindered accessibility.
Prof Shemdoe said the government closely supervised the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the market following the 2021 fire incident, noting that Kariakoo remains a vital commercial hub for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and the wider region.
He added that, in implementing the President’s directives and responding to the growing demand for trading spaces for smallscale traders, PMO–RALG is continuing with plans to construct a special market for petty traders in the Msimbazi Valley under the Dar es Salaam Metropolitan Development Project Phase Two (DMDP II).
According to Prof Shemdoe, the project has reached an advanced stage, with the process of securing a contractor underway to construct river embankments and raise the Msimbazi River dike in order to create adequate space for the new market.
Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Albert Chalamila (pictured) said the commencement of full operations at Kariakoo Market will go hand in hand with the reopening of all access roads leading to and from the market.
He explained that the move is aimed at strengthening security, improving service delivery and ensuring smooth access for emergency and rescue operations when needed.
His remarks come at a time when several access roads around the market remain blocked by traders operating along the streets, causing severe congestion and hindering the movement of vehicles and other means of transport.
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Chalamila said he has already engaged traders and directed that, with immediate effect, all internal roads within the market area must be reopened, acknowledging that the directive may be painful to some traders but is necessary for the greater good.
“It may not be a pleasant decision and it could be painful for traders, but you cannot build a valuable house and block access roads. I believe diplomacy will continue to be used, without force, to ensure the roads remain open,” he said.
He added that reopening the roads will help the city to breathe, improve security and enable a faster response in the event of emergencies.
Meanwhile, Kariakoo Market Corporation General Manager Ashraf Abdulkarim said the government invested 28bn/- in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the market, which now features a six-storey building designed to accommodate different types of businesses, organised by floor.
He said the sixth floor, which is a rooftop area, will host restaurants and other services.
He added that the market is equipped with modern infrastructure, including firefighting equipment, CCTV cameras installed throughout the facility and adequate lighting to support 24-hour operations.
Mr Abdulkarim further said the market has two underground parking facilities with capacity to accommodate more than 400 vehicles at a time, a move aimed at addressing long-standing parking challenges in the Kariakoo area.