AN official
with the Kinondoni Municipal Council in Dar es Salaam
has cautioned people who visit the famous Coco
Beach recreational area in Oyster Bay not to accept any fees which is said to be
charged from them for car parking when going for recreational purposes. The
Municipal Council’s Public Relations Officer, Sebastian Mhowera said in a
telephone interview last week in Dar
es Salaam that, the Kinondoni Municipal Council has
not yet authorized the area to be a business centre. However, he has dismissed
claims that, the Municipal council has allowed the presence of petty traders to
engage in petty business activities as some of them have erected temporary
structures in the area and clarified that, this is an illegal act according to
the rules and regulations that governs the administration of the Kinondoni
Municipal Council. He further clarified that, a directive was earlier issued by
the Municipal authorities requesting the ward executive officer for Masaki ward
whom he mentioned his name Peter Mushi to stop charging fees which he had
illegally introduced in the area without the consent of the municipal council
for every vehicle parked in the area as it was a public space which has nothing
to do with business activities. However, an abrupt visit at the area last week found
the presence of petty traders conducting their businesses as usual as well as
and one person busy charging vehicle fees for parking from their owners
although this is contrary to what the municipal council insists. Swaleha Iddi,
a petty trader in the area said that, they have been sometimes harassed by
municipal askaris who chase them and wonders that, they have been given a
permit to trade in the area. He however noted that, they have organized with
fellow traders how to keep the surrounding clean by collecting refuse and pay
to ward executive officer in-charge of the area. He says that, during the
weekends, they used to hire a company supplying a mobile toilet for their customers
in the area and pay a certain sum of money which he didn’t mention when
requested.
Contacted for comments, the ward executive officer of the area Mr. Peter
Mushi admitted the fact that, he was collecting fees for the dev elopement of
his area as per the regulations set for every area must look for their means in
order to develop. However, he said adding that, he did not defy the municipal
order as this is the right for every area and their government should look for
the means of income in order to let their development programs or projects move
forward. An investigation piece of information can establish that, the collection
of fees charged in the area for car parking directly enters into some people’s
pockets as there is no official accounting systems which is maintained for such
a collection that is kept into the books of accounts managed by the Municipal
council for the area. It’s estimated that, more than 1,000 vehicles each
charged with the fees amounting to Sh. 1,000 per vehicle parked at Coco Beach
during the weekends, and it’s amazing to see that nobody knows where the money
is taken. One vehicle fee collector who was found collecting money at the scene
spoke on condition of strict anonymity that, the collected fees is used to pay
people who engage in community policing in the area while keeping an eye of
such vehicles and curb with the increased crimes committed by few unknown
people who pretends to be visiting the area. However, he declined to say
anything further when asked to clarify into details the legality of the guards
in the area and who organized them. However, a worker at the ward executive
office who declined to mention his name when contacted said that, the fees
collected at Coco beach helps to run their
office matters which he couldn’t specify. Coco Beach
has however, has been re-possessed by the government as an open space for
public use in the form of recreational activities.
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