DAR ES SALAAM: PRIME Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba has directed Regional Commissioners to immediately engage with petty traders and transport operators to identify and dignified, customer-accessible workspaces.
Speaking at a symposium for the federation of petty traders and bodaboda associations, in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the Prime Minister said providing proper working environments is a cornerstone of the government’s strategy to fight poverty and promote economic development.
“The leaders of these groups must identify suitable working areas and submit them to their respective regions. If regions fail to resolve the matter, it should be forwarded to higher levels. We must secure dignified working spaces for you. We cannot fight poverty if people do not have proper places to work,” Dr Nchemba emphasised.
He also instructed the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), Prof Riziki Shemdoe, to take legal action against officials who illegally seize government-allocated areas and rent them out.
Dr Nchemba further directed relevant ministries to involve leaders of petty traders and transport operators when job opportunities abroad arise, and to simplify procedures for obtaining travel and work documents.
In addition, the Prime Minister warned individuals who have illegally taken other people’s property, including land, to return it before facing government action.
He urged citizens not to remain silent when subjected to injustice, calling on them to report such cases to the relevant authorities.
“Any Tanzanian, wherever you are, should not keep quiet when subjected to injustice by a government officer who fails to perform their duties. Report the matter so it can be addressed,” he said.
Responding to concerns raised by the groups, Dr Nchemba said the government will engage financial institutions to review and relax loan conditions to improve access to credit for petty traders and riders.
He also said the government is reviewing the institutional framework governing petty traders, noting that discussions are under way to transfer the sector from the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups to another ministry. An official announcement will be made in due course.
Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Dorothy Gwajima said since small traders were formally recognised in January 2022, her ministry has continued to work closely with them in collaboration with other ministries.
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She said through a digital registration system, a total of 115,794 small traders had been registered nationwide by December 2025, including 71,322 women and 44,472 men.
Senior Manager for Microfinance at NMB Bank, Mashaka Changarawe said the government allocated 13.5 bn/- for loans to small traders, out of which 10.8 bn/- has already been disbursed to 5,266 beneficiaries.
Chairperson of the Dar es Salaam Machinga Association, Namoto Yusuf Namoto, called upon the Prime Minister to address challenges facing the group in various regions, saying the issues will be formally submitted in writing together with proposed solutions.
He also appealed for the loan fund to be distributed to several banks instead of being handled solely by NMB, and for loan conditions to be relaxed so that more petty traders can access financing.
He further proposed the establishment of a special bank dedicated to petty traders. Chairperson of the Federation of Bodaboda and Bajaji Drivers Associations, Said Chunja said the transport sector makes a significant contribution to government revenue, including daily parking fees of 100/- per rider in Dar es Salaam and between 300/- and 400/- in other regions.
He noted that with more than three million riders nationwide, the sector contributes over one billion shillings annually.
Mr Chunja also called on the government to assist drivers in obtaining driving licences so that they can access insurance services whenever they face challenges.