Editorial

EDITORIAL

Clean, orderly Arusha is everyone’s responsibility

The warning by Arusha City Mayor Maximillian Matle Iranqhe to roadside traders should not be viewed merely as another attempt to remove Machinga from busy streets. It raises a broader question about the kind of city Arusha wants to present to Tanzania, Africa and the world.

Arusha is the country’s tourism hub, the gateway to some of Africa’s most celebrated attractions and a city that welcomes thousands of visitors annually. Its streets, markets, transport corridors and public spaces therefore form part of the first impression carried home by tourists, investors, delegates and business travellers.

That image matters even more now. Arusha is preparing to host international gatherings, including an upcoming world parliamentary session, while Tanzania is also looking ahead to other high-profile events, including Miss World activities and the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027. More global meetings, conferences and tourism opportunities will follow.

What impression will visitors receive if major roads are congested, pavements are blocked, trucks occupy undesignated spaces and informal businesses operate in locations that compromise safety and movement?

The answer cannot, however, be enforcement alone. Street traders are part of Arusha’s economy. Many support families through small businesses and choose roadside locations because customers are readily available there. Authorities must therefore ensure that designated trading areas are accessible, commercially viable, safe and close enough to customer traffic to sustain livelihoods. Order and economic survival do not have to be opposing goals.

The same urgency should apply to congestion around the Central Market. If the facility has no designated parking for cars or delivery lorries, the city must develop practical loading, unloading and parking arrangements rather than allow confusion to become permanent.

Arusha has an opportunity to become a cleaner, safer and better organised African city without pushing vulnerable traders out of economic life. Firm regulation should be matched by thoughtful planning, consultation and workable alternatives.

A tourism capital cannot afford disorder as its calling card. The world is coming to Arusha and the city must ensure that what visitors see reflects the destination we proudly promote.

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