More than 300 traders in Dodoma say they have been blocked from operating at Umonga for over seven months and want swift government action.
Traders in Dodoma are pressing the Government to step in after months of uncertainty left their livelihoods in limbo.
More than 300 traders operating at Rehema Nchimbi market say they have been unable to continue business at Umonga, an area they were moved to after their original market site was taken over in October 2025.. They argue the relocation was meant to be temporary first, then turned into a permanent solution, but in practice they claim they remain unable to trade.
In an on-site discussion in Umonga on May 2, 2026, traders described how the promised pathway to reopening never fully materialized.. Prisca Chibwaye, one of the affected traders, said they were removed from their stalls without compensation after the area was taken by the national parliament, and while officials later pointed them to Umonga, they say permission to trade has not been granted.
She added that despite efforts to follow up, their situation has not improved. Chibwaye said that even when the Prime Minister, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, visited earlier in 2026 and directed that the space be made permanent with infrastructure support, execution of those instructions remains incomplete.
Traders also say the delay has turned into household pressure, including trouble servicing bank loans and managing children’s basic needs. With business stalled for over seven months, some have been forced to sell household assets to meet daily expenses.
This is the kind of dispute that quickly becomes bigger than a plot of land: when small traders lose working time, the knock-on effects reach families, debts, and local economic activity.
According to Abdullah Gogo, the secretary of the market’s board of trustees, closing the Rehema Nchimbi market on October 29, 2025 directly affected over 300 traders who relied on daily income.. He said the core problem is not the relocation itself, but delays in implementing preparations for the alternative area.
Traders further claim that although authorities instructed efforts such as dumping fill material for around 18 trucks in the Umonga area, only a limited amount has been delivered. They also argue the site lacks essential services such as water, electricity, and toilets.
Meanwhile, the Dodoma City Council, through Nsubisi Kapura, said delays are linked to compliance issues by some traders.. The council stated that contracts for using the area were prepared, but some traders allegedly refused to sign them, pushing to start trading before completing required procedures while also asking to increase the number of vendors beyond the official list.
Kapura emphasized that contracts are legally central because the area belongs to the Government and cannot be used without formal agreement.. In this context, Misryoum reports that traders are calling for quick intervention so a workable agreement can be reached and they can resume business, arguing that each passing day adds more burden to their debts and daily living costs.
The immediate need now is clarity and speed: a lasting resolution would reduce the gap between promises of relocation and the reality traders face on the ground.