Arusha traders express concern over IDs delay

Arusha. Business people here have decried failure to get national identity cards (IDs), saying it has made it difficult for them to register their businesses or apply for international passports. “Issuance of the IDs is the biggest challenge facing the business community in Arusha region,” lamented Walter Maeda, a prominent hotelier.

He said dozens of corporate businesses and small entrepreneurs across the vast region fail to register their businesses because they lack the mandatory document.

“In this case, businesses in Arusha cannot expand. Entrepreneurs also cannot enter into the formal economy,” said Mr Maeda, who is the chairman of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA). The national IDs now is one of the formalities to register a business under the Business Registration and Licencing Authority (Brela).

And, the regional TCCIA boss observed that the business community, members and non-members of the chamber alike, have been negatively impacted by the delay to get the IDs.

The situation, according to him, worsened from March this year and that in one month only two of the 36 applicants received the national identity cards. “The identity cards are among the factors hindering the ease of doing business in our region,” he said, adding that without the IDs, registered businesses cannot access the required legal and financial services.

He called on the National Identification Authority (Nida) to speed up the issuance of the required cards to the business community in Arusha to enable them “engage in business”.

Besides the business community, there had been repeated complaints from the general public in Arusha over what is seen as a slow pace in the issuance of national IDs.

Most of the fingers have been pointed to Nida offices,which appear to be overwhelmed by the number of applicants, including those applying for passports.

Those affected, while calling on Nida to give an explanation, wanted the authority to find a lasting solution with Brela and the Immigration Division.

When reached for comment,a Nida official in Arusha, Ms Rose Joseph, defended the authority over the delay to issue the cards, saying the long verification process was necessary.

“We have to ensure all the applicants meet all criteria,” she said, admitting that there was a big number of business people and passport seekers in Arusha applying for the national IDs.

A business consultant warned that if the government does not act quickly,the crisis can balloon to affect the entire value chain in business like revenue collection and impact on the economy.

“There should be an alternative solution to this because Nida does not seem capable of delivering the required number of IDs in time,” he said on condition of anonymity.

He argued for continued use of the other IDs such as the bank and medical cards and workplace IDs by the business licence and passport seekers to access services blocked without national IDs.