After giving the hawkers a loaf of bread made of stones, NSSF should stop
whining
By Saumu Jumanne
Do you want to eat a loaf of bread made of stones? It seems that is exactly
what the authorities in Dar es Salaam could be asking hawkers to do. That
is, by forcing them to operate exclusively at the magnificent Machinga
Complex in Ilala.
Of course no one can survive on eating stones, no wonder the hawkers
allocated cubicles at the building are crying foul. Yes, they need to earn a
living not to seat at stalls where no customers turn up the whole day – as
it is happening now at the complex.
The other day, NSSF Director General Dr Ramadhan Dau, was in the press
blaming Dar authorities for the failure of business to take off at the
complex, a project on verge of becoming a white elephant.
Dr Dau heads the country’s largest pension fund by customer base and is one
of the most respected managers in Dar es Salaam. NSSF financed the putting
up of the complex. City Council owns it and is supposed to ensure it is
utilized and repay NSSF.
Put to task by Zitto Kabwe, the chairman of Bunge’s Parastatal Organizations
Accounts Committee, Dr Dua said it was upon the complex board of directors
chaired by MP Iddi Zungu, that should see into it that hawkers stop trading
in the streets and move into the building.
Dr Dau just like the city authorities and a number of other stakeholders are
refusing to open their eyes to the reality that they made a mistake from the
word go in putting up the building where it is located at the junction of
Kawawa Road and Shauri Moyo Road, where there is only a small stop for
daladala.
If only the investment experts at NSSF had thought twice about the location,
and recommended it be put the junction of Kawawa Road and Uhuru Road!
Hawkers would be fighting to relocate to the building. After all, there are
several bus stops around there and it would be easier for commuters to reach
the complex.
NSSF under Dr Dau has made many exemplary investments across different
sectors but I dare say while investing in Machinga Complex, the body
overlooked the issue of location. Despite the fact that the government
guarantees NSSF not to lose money in such projects, it does not mean the
body should shy away from its primary responsibility of studying the
viability of every project where pensioners’ money is invested.
As I said earlier, I am aware the project belongs to city fathers, and they
too, just like NSSF should have thought better.
The problem with Machinga Complex as it is – is very simple. Customers
simply will not go there. Even if all hawkers in Ilala Municipality are
forced move there, very few customers will go into that building because of
its location. You can force hawkers to move in but you cannot force
customers in.
The premise of ‘hawkerism’ is based on going where the customers are and
not the other way round. When President Jakaya Kikwete promised hawkers a
building, they were so happy. And indeed the idea was noble as it would have
gone along way into formalizing hundred of small business.
The implementers of Kikwete’s idea including NSSF, destroyed it when they
put up the Machinga Complex at a place that is not highly populated by
commuters. My free advice to Dr Dau, lobby for the buildings to be converted
into an upmarket office complex and put up Machinga Complexes adjacent main
bus stands in the city. Remember ‘machingas’ sell very simple items, very
cheaply, and they take their goods to where the people are.
Or should hawkers now lobby the president to direct city fathers and NSSF to
put such buildings adjacent main bus stops, where they will be assured of
prospective customers? There is need to call a spade a spade and not a big
spoon, when we blunder. After all some blunders we make are from holy
intentions…think of Ilala’s Machinga’s complex. Adieu.
The author can be reached on, saumu.j@gmail.com. She is an Assistant
Lecturer, Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE).