Dar es Salaam. During a recent group discussion with The Chanzo at the popular Karume Market in the city, market women were visibly irritated by numerous levies authorities charging them regularly without those levies returning to improve market infrastructures and their overall welfare as women informal traders.

In partnership with Equality for Growth (EfG), a non-governmental organisation working with self-employed women workers in Tanzania, The Chanzo brought together women market leaders from various markets in Dar es Salaam at the Karume Market on November 8, 2024, to discuss their priorities ahead of local government elections of November 27, 2024.

During the discussion, moderated by Happiness Nkwera, assistant programme officer with Twaweza East Africa, a non-governmental organisation promoting citizens’ participation in governance, market women complained about having to pay numerous levies to local government authorities without seeing that translating into improved services in market areas or their overall welfare.

Mariam Samson, from Mbagala Rangi Tatu Market, famously Kampochea, mentioned several types of levies that she must pay authorities to operate in the market. These include Sh15,000, which she has to pay monthly to keep her Kizimba, or a business stall. 

Mariam must also pay Sh500 daily directly to municipal authorities and Sh200 daily for cleaning services. She also has to have a license from municipal authorities that will allow her to do her business, which she has to pay for on a regular basis. 

“Honestly, this affects us very much,” Mariam said during the discussion, which lasted for about one and a half hours. “You force yourself to pay all these levies, contributing to the national revenue, thinking that when opportunities come, you’ll be entitled to them and benefit. But that is not the case.”

10pc local govt loans

Mariam was referring to the ten per cent local government loans that she and her fellow market women have been trying to obtain. However, due to the nature of their operations, it has been difficult for them to qualify for the interest-free loans available from municipal councils for vulnerable groups.

Mariam Samson speaking during a group discussion The Chanzo organised with market women at the Karume Market, Dar es Salaam, on November 8, 2024. PHOTO | JACKSON NOAH.

Because the women live in one area but carry out their business in another, sometimes very far from where they stay, many local government authorities have refused to extend their loans as they prioritise people living and working in their respective areas. 

The women can neither apply from where they work because authorities there only target people who live, not work, in those areas. This means if a woman lives in Buguruni but works in Msasani, she cannot qualify for the loans, resumed now after a temporary suspension, in either area.

“[Authorities] should have allowed us to form groups from where we operate in the markets and accept that as part of eligibility criteria instead of insisting groups should be formed in residential areas,” Mariam suggested. “Because that condition disqualifies us as we’re not recognised in the streets we come from.”

She wasn’t the only person during the discussion who raised concerns about ten per cent local government loans. As soon as the discussion kicked off, it was the first topic raised, with many participants speaking passionately about it while calling for reforms on how the loans are being administered.

Mariam Rashid, a woman trader from the Kigogo Sambusa Market, echoed the views of her many fellow market women when she said that the ten per cent local government loans are yet to be opportunities for women like her, calling it unfair given the amount of levies authorities charge them.

Mariam Rashid, who is running in the next local government election as street chairperson, speaks during the group discussion with The Chanzo. PHOTO | JACKSON NOAH.

“I suggest that those people living and working in the same area should benefit from these loans through their respective local government authorities, but those of us working in the market should benefit from them through the markets,” Mariam, also a community organiser, recommended.

“We’re already an identifiable group of people while working in the markets,” she added. “The manager of the respective market recognises us, and so is the chairperson, whom we elect, as well as his or her governing committee. All these people would be guarantors when we apply for these loans.”

However, the inability to benefit from ten per cent local government loans wasn’t the only way market women felt that authorities were short-changing them compared with what they collected through numerous levies. The other issue is the improvement of necessary infrastructure within the markets.

Poor infrastructure

Market women complained about having to work in an environment that falls short of guaranteeing women’s privacy and safety, exposing them to humiliation, disrespect and health hazards. During the discussion, market women raised at least two issues of concern: the lack of places for lactating mothers and poor toilet and hygiene facilities in many market areas.

Mariam Rashid, for example, said that authorities rarely consider and prioritise women’s unique needs and interests when improving market infrastructure, including considering setting aside a specific area where lactating mothers working in a given market can breastfeed their infants. 

“In the market where I work [Kigogo Sambusa], such a place doesn’t exist,” she shared. “An entire market has got only four toilet sinks. They’re dirty most of the time and regularly overflow. Authorities don’t care despite repeatedly complaining about the issue. It dehumanises women and exposes them to numerous diseases.” 

Market women from Karume Market, where The Chanzo conducted a discussion, reported the same problem. Juliana Richard, a market woman who works there, said that the entire market, which houses about 4,000 people, has only five toilet sinks for women, which she said were extremely few compared to the demand.

Juliana Richard, who works at the Karume Market, feels authorities don’t prioritise issues of concern to market traders like herself. PHOTO | JACKSON NOAH.

“We’ve raised this with relevant authorities several times, and they promised us that where the second toilet used to stand before the fire broke out at the market will be built another toilet,” said Juliana. “But that was 2022 when the promise was made. It’s already late 2024, and no such thing has happened.”

“What’s worse,” she added, “authorities have already allocated traders to the very area where the toilet was meant to be constructed, indicating that no toilet will ever be built there, and we’ll have to be contented with the only five toilet sinks we have now.”

Market women said during the discussion that they have registered to vote in the coming local government elections and will vote for candidates who show an interest in addressing these issues that concern them.

Mariam Rashid will also participate in the election as a candidate, contesting for the position of chairperson of her street. Mariam plans to use the platform to raise voices on issues market women in Tanzania go through as part of finding their permanent resolution.