TUNIS: Tunisian street vendors often complain of official harassment, but one sandwich maker-turned-social-media-star hopes his struggles against bureaucracy will motivate young entrepreneurs.
Habib Hlila, 27, first set up a food van in the working-class Bab El Khadra district of Tunis in early April, selling sandwiches at the end of each day’s fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
He quickly became a star of Tunisian street food, gaining a social media following as he used banter and theatrics to prepare his signature “El-Bey” sandwiches and grills, accompanied by his own special sauce.
As videos on social media helped his name spread, Hlila started drawing ever bigger crowds.
But in late April, police detained Hlila and seized his truck on the basis that he had no license to operate.
The operation was caught on camera and widely shared online, sparking anger among Tunisians who often complain of the obstacles authorities place in front of small businesses and everyday life.
Hlila rode a wave of public sympathy and started appearing on television to talk about his experience.
The story drew comparisons to Mohammed Bouazizi, the Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire following police harassment in 2010, triggering a nationwide revolt.
Hlila rejects the comparison, despite his own experience coming at a time that Tunisia faces crippling economic conditions and a political crisis that some have warned could return the country to dictatorship.
“I’m not Bouazizi and I would never resort to acts of desperation in response to crises,” he said.
“I’ve decided to succeed and to be a source of motivation for the young.”
He says he wants to turn his experience into a positive story to inspire young Tunisians who often find it impossible to create a successful business in the face of suffocating bureaucracy.
After a long struggle, he finally managed to procure a license to organize cooking shows across Tunisia — then retrieved his van and started up his sandwich business again.
Last Saturday, at an entrance to the Old City of Tunis, he held a show in a brand-new food truck worth more than $20,000, which he is paying off in instalments.
Wearing a black outfit dotted with small Tunisian flags, he held court for more than five hours in his first meeting with customers since his arrest.
