Traders in Mbirizi Town Council, Lwengo District, have protested their eviction from roadside trading spaces, questioning plans to relocate them to a privately owned market amid concerns over taxes, business costs and their livelihoods.
Traders in Mbirizi Town Council, Lwengo District, have stormed the council offices to protest their eviction from roadside trading spaces and demand an explanation from local leaders over a directive requiring them to relocate to a newly established market.
The traders say they are being forced to abandon their usual workplaces without adequate consultation or clear information about the conditions under which they will operate in the new market.
They also question why the town council is directing them to a privately owned facility instead of providing a suitable public trading space.
The dispute has heightened tensions between traders and local authorities, with the affected vendors warning that relocation could disrupt their businesses, increase operating costs and threaten their livelihoods.
The traders further accused Mbirizi Town Council Mayor Hajji Mustafa Nyindo of imposing what they described as unaffordable compulsory taxes.
They said they had been paying taxes to the town council while operating from their previous locations and wanted clarification on why they must move to a market whose ownership and management they do not control.
“We have been working from these places and paying the town council taxes. We do not understand why we are being chased away without being given a suitable alternative,” one trader said.
The vendors want the authorities to allow them to continue operating from their existing locations or agree on relocation arrangements that protect their businesses.
Nyindo defended the directive, saying all traders selling foodstuffs must operate from within the designated market rather than along the streets.
He said the measure was intended to organise trading activities and ensure food vendors operate from an established trading area.
The mayor maintained that he would not allow traders to sell food outside the market, regardless of their political affiliations or the individuals supporting their demands.
“I have directed everyone selling foodstuffs to operate from inside the market. I will not allow anyone to sell from wherever they want outside the market,” Nyindo said.
He also accused some individuals of attempting to frustrate the exercise for political reasons, insisting that he would not abandon the directive.
However, the traders maintain that they should have been consulted before being instructed to move to a privately owned market and want local leaders to clarify the arrangements governing its use.
District chairperson promises negotiations
Lwengo District Chairperson Abas Kizitto has appealed for calm, pledging to engage the market owner to find a solution to the dispute.
Kizitto visited the market to assess the situation and hear the concerns of the affected traders.
He urged the vendors to remain patient and continue operating from the designated market as discussions with its owner are arranged.
“We are going to engage the owner of this market and see how the traders can be allowed to operate here. I ask everyone to remain calm and continue working as we seek a lasting solution,” Kizitto said.
He expressed optimism that dialogue involving the district leadership, market owner and traders would resolve the dispute without further confrontation.
Kizitto also urged the vendors to avoid further protests while efforts to address their concerns continue.
The traders' main concern is that the market is privately owned, raising questions about the terms under which they will be allowed to conduct business there.
They want local leaders to clarify the market's ownership, management arrangements and any charges traders may be required to pay.
The vendors fear that relocating could expose them to additional expenses at a time when they are already struggling with the taxes they say the town council requires them to pay.
They argue that the authorities should not compel them to abandon their existing trading spaces without adequate consultation and a clear relocation plan.
The new market, reportedly constructed about a week before the protest, accommodates vendors selling various food products, including cooked food, roasted items, chicken and goats.
Town council leaders want food vendors to operate from the market instead of selling along the streets, saying the arrangement is intended to organise trading activities.
The dispute remains unresolved, with the mayor insisting on compliance with the relocation directive while traders demand assurances about the market's ownership, operating conditions and financial implications.
Negotiations between the district leadership and the market owner are expected to determine whether an arrangement can be reached to accommodate the vendors' concerns.