DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania: President Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday launched the new Kariakoo Main Market, urging authorities to enforce high standards of service delivery, transparency in tax collection and strict quality controls at one of East and Central Africa’s key commercial hubs.
The six-storey, government-owned market in Dar es Salaam was constructed alongside renovations of the old Kariakoo market at a cost of 28 billion Tanzanian shillings, following a fire in July 2021 that destroyed a large number of traders’ businesses.
Speaking at the official launch, Samia described the new market as a fresh start anchored in modern standards and said it should serve as a benchmark for markets across Tanzania and the wider region.
“We need this market to set an example in performance, quality of services, effective systems, security and business discipline,” she said, adding that Kariakoo plays a central role in national and regional trade.
Kariakoo links manufacturers, agricultural producers, transporters, traders and buyers from across Tanzania and neighbouring countries, making it a critical node in regional supply chains.
According to government and independent estimates, the area supports hundreds of thousands of traders and vendors, with goods flowing from Dar es Salaam to markets in Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, underscoring its role as a distribution hub for East and Central Africa.
Samia directed the Ministry of State in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for regional administration, the Kariakoo Market Corporation (KMC) and the Tanzania Bureau of Standards to ensure all goods entering the market for resale comply with approved quality standards, in a move aimed at strengthening the market’s reputation locally and internationally.
She also called for the integration of logistics and financial services within the market to support smoother transactions and the efficient movement of goods to domestic and cross-border destinations.
On taxation and levies, Samia instructed authorities to design charges that are trader-friendly while safeguarding government revenue. She ordered KMC to establish a special digital database for all traders, linked to the e-Government Agency, to capture business details and tax obligations.
The government plans to construct an additional market in the Msimbazi area to accommodate petty traders who fail to meet agreed tax requirements at Kariakoo, she said.
President Samia also directed district councils to increase by five percentage points the 10% allocation set aside for women, youth and people with disabilities, saying the additional funds would support market renovations nationwide.
Recognising the role of women in commerce, she instructed KMC, in collaboration with the private sector, to designate a childcare area to support breastfeeding women traders.
She further directed city authorities and KMC to fairly reallocate stalls at the new market to traders affected by the 2021 fire, and urged traders and residents to safeguard the facility to prevent future incidents. She also called for comprehensive training of traders in the use of fire extinguishers.
Earlier, Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba said the new market is equipped with modern ICT systems, fire detectors, air conditioning, upgraded electricity infrastructure, standby generators and CCTV cameras to support 24-hour operations.
Dr Samia said the completion of the Kariakoo project demonstrates the government’s commitment to translating pledges into tangible infrastructure that supports trade, employment and economic growth.