THE government has assured the Kariakoo market traders that the construction of the East Africa market zone at the Ubungo area in Dar es Salaam has no negative impact on their business.
The assurance was made here on Tuesday by the Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Ashatu Kijaji, saying the government has done its homework to ensure that the Kariakoo market traders will not be affected by the EAC market zone.
She gave the assurance during the parliamentary seminar for the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and the Business Registration Licensing Agency (BRELA) performance report.
She said they have carried out several meetings on the matter saying the Ubungo Plaza market is intended to bring the Chinese market close to Tanzania traders and cut down the travel and shipping cost.
"At Ubungo, there will be 2,002 shops unlike the 40,000 at Kariakoo market, but we are still working on the matter," Dr Kijaji told the parliamentarians.
However, she said, they are working closely with the regional administration and local government ministry which has issued the license for the EAC market to get the details of the contracts and chart out the best modalities for the best interest of the Kariakoo market traders.
Responding to the claims of work permits to some foreigners to do jobs that are done by Tanzanians, the minister said they are working with labour department to ensure rules and regulations are observed.
The move, she said, followed complaints that some Chinese traders are carrying out business contrary to their work permits.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Speaking on EAC market at Ubungo, Minister Kijaji said reports have it that 98 per cent of the shops will be run by Tanzanian traders. She said in July when the Ubungo market will be officially opened everything will be known and pending issues solved. She was responding to a question posed by Mwanaisha Ulenge (Special Seats -CCM) on threats to downsize Kariakoo traders by the existence of the EAC market.
"The Ubungo market will be a collection point of a China goods, we want to know the fate of Kariakoo market traders, who go to China to import goods," said Ms Ulenge BRELA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Godfrey Nyaisa said the electronic registration has addressed several challenges in the business licence and company registration from 119,000 to 205,000.
On his part, Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Industry, Trade, Agriculture and Livestock, Dr Medard Kalemani commended the government for the transformation of the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).
