The recently inaugurated Bazarikely market is already at the heart of a standoff between the urban commune of Antsiranana and local merchants. The municipality is demanding their immediate relocation and the vacating of the former temporary site in the Rostock sector, located in Tanambao-IV. The merchants, however, argue that the necessary conditions for installation have not yet been met. Tensions have escalated since last Monday.
More than two thousand merchants have refused to move to their new locations. From the early hours of the day, the stalls at the temporary Rostock site remained largely deserted. The merchants left the site en masse before gathering near the new Bazarikely market to protest against the municipal decision.
The movement quickly turned into a sit-in. Businesses located around the new market also had to temporarily suspend their activities amid a climate of tension and fear of unrest. The protesters then headed toward the new market, causing traffic disruptions on Justin Bezara Street. Some reports also mention threats and intimidation against vendors who refused to join the movement.
At the center of the disagreement is the state of the new market’s facilities. On-site, several pavilions are still under construction, with some walls barely raised. Water drainage channels are also undergoing cleaning or development work. In areas reserved for vegetable sellers along Bouddhabay Street, as well as for jewelers and other categories of merchants, the spaces are currently marked only by numbers on the sidewalks. Structures intended to shelter the vendors are not yet available everywhere.
The merchants are using this situation to justify their refusal of an immediate transfer. They are requesting an additional three months to arrange some sales spaces themselves and are calling for a postponement until January 15, 2027. “We are willing to move into the new market, but the conditions must be truly met to accommodate our activities. An immediate installation would force us to take charge of some of the necessary improvements ourselves before we can work normally,” explained the president of the Bazarikely merchants.
According to Mayor Jean-Luc Djavojozara, an agreement reached on September 1st provided for the return of merchants to the renovated market during the month of September. After granting an additional one-month delay, the commune had set September 28 as the transfer date. “The municipality maintains its position. The new market must now be occupied and the old temporary site vacated,” the mayor affirmed.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-30 06:38:34 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/antsiranana-nouveau-marche-bras-de-fer.html