Dar es Salaam. As the holy month of Ramadan begins today, coinciding with the Christian season of Lent for the first time in recent memory, businesses that depend on leisure spending are bracing for a difficult stretch.<\/p>\n
For bar owners along the streets of Mwenge and Ubungo, guest house operators in Sinza and Kinondoni and food vendors in Buguruni and Magomeni, the mood has shifted almost overnight. Where music and laughter typically spill onto the pavements, a calmer atmosphere is expected to define the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
A few days before the fast began, The Citizen observed unusually high activity in popular drinking spots in Mikocheni and Sinza. Some patrons openly joked that they were \u201cfinishing their sins\u201d before turning to prayer and self-restraint. Guest houses reported full bookings, while bars operated late into the night.<\/p>\n
But that surge was short-lived.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom today, we expect sales to drop by more than half,\u201d said a bar owner in Sinza, Mr Juma Ally. \u201cWhen only Muslims were fasting, Christian customers still came. When it was Lent alone, some Muslims still came. Now both groups are stepping back at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tanzania has a good population of Christians and Muslims.<\/p>\n
In urban centres such as Dar es Salaam, where nightlife and informal entertainment form a significant part of the local economy that overlap matters.<\/p>\n
Mr Ally employs eight workers who include bartenders, security guards and cleaners. \u201cIf sales fall drastically, I will have to reduce shifts. It affects not just me but families depending on these wages,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Guest houses, especially those offering short-stay services, are likely to feel an even sharper pinch. In areas such as Manzese, Tandale, Mwenge, Temeke, Tandika, Buza, Tabata and parts of Sinza, some lodge operators admit that their peak business often comes from daily, short-term clients.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne month can determine whether we cover rent and utilities comfortably,\u201d said a lodge manager in Sinza, who requested anonymity. \u201cDuring Ramadan alone we see a slowdown. With Lent at the same time, it is going to be tough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sex workers, many of whom operate discreetly around city hotspots such as Ubungo, Posta, Kariakoo and Oysterbay, are also expected to suffer income losses. A community organiser working with vulnerable women in Ilala said demand typically drops sharply during Ramadhan.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome clients disappear completely. Others say they are repenting or focusing on church activities,\u201d she said. \u201cFor women who depend on daily earnings, even a two-week slowdown can mean failing to pay rent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Street food vendors, popularly known as mama lishe, are adjusting their strategies. While lunchtime traffic may shrink as fasting customers abstain, evenings could present new opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Ramadhan we prepare iftar meals\u2014pilau, dates and fresh juice,\u201d said Ms Asha Mgeni, who runs a food stall at Ubungo Riverside. \u201cOffice workers who cannot reach home before sunset buy from us. So for us it is not all loss; it is about timing.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, vendors whose sales depend on alcohol pairings\u2014nyama choma joints and grilled meat stands near bars\u2014anticipate leaner days.<\/p>\n
A butcher in Shekilango said orders from bar operators had already reduced. \u201cThey used to buy in bulk for weekends. This week they have cut orders by almost 40 percent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beyond direct sellers, the ripple effects extend to suppliers. Beverage distributors, music DJs, bouncers, taxi drivers who rely on late-night trips, and even mobile money agents near nightlife zones could see transactions fall.<\/p>\n
A regular patron at a popular bar in Mikocheni, Mr Patrick Mhando, said he has chosen to stop drinking during both seasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am Catholic. Lent is a time for reflection. This year, because Ramadan is also starting, I feel it is a good moment to reset completely,\u201d he said. \u201cI will save that money and focus on my family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Such personal decisions, multiplied across thousands of customers, create a noticeable economic shift. According to industry estimates from beverage traders, alcohol sales in predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods can fall by up to 60 percent during Ramadan alone. With Lent overlapping, traders predict a broader citywide dip.<\/p>\n
However, religious leaders say the economic slowdown should be viewed in context.<\/p>\n
A cleric at a mosque in Ilala noted: \u201cRamadan is about discipline, charity and empathy for the less fortunate. Businesses may slow, but communities often increase charitable giving.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, a priest in Ubungo, Mr Johnson Mkuti, said Lent encourages Christians to reduce excess spending and support those in need. \u201cThe money saved from luxuries can be redirected to helping others,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Indeed, some sectors may benefit. Supermarkets selling dates, juices and cooking oil often report higher evening sales, while transport services see increased movement at sunset as families rush home for iftar.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dar es Salaam. As the holy month of Ramadan begins today, coinciding with the Christian season of Lent…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":92085,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[152],"class_list":{"0":"post-92084","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tanzania","8":"tag-tanzania"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@africa\/116094578433586124","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}