By Staff Reporter
Vendors operating in Harare and other urban centres have until Wednesday next week to vacate unauthorised sites or face a nationwide clean-up operation.
In a statement yesterday, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said Government had noted with concern the continued proliferation of illegal vending and informal trading at undesignated sites in Harare’s Central Business District and the wider Harare Metropolitan.
Minister Garwe said the illegal activities were compromising urban sanitation, blocking public pathways, disrupting formal businesses and creating congestion, thereby threatening public safety and health.
“The current state of disorderliness on the streets is intolerable,” he said.
Minister Garwe said illegal vending had become “a threat to the health and security of our nation”.
“Government acknowledges the existence of informal trading as a recognised avenue of livelihood,” he said.
“This, however, should be within the bounds of municipal by-laws and at legally designated marketplaces.”
Minister Garwe said all vendors involved in illegal street and night trading had until September 9 to immediately vacate unauthorised sites and relocate to lawful vending markets provided by local authorities.
He said from September 9, the Ministry, together with other Government ministries, departments and agencies, would launch a “comprehensive, zero-tolerance clean-up operation” targeting illegal vending sites across Harare and the broader Harare Metropolitan province.
“During this operation, all illegal vending structures, stalls, and sites will be completely disbanded,” Minister Garwe said.
Municipal police would remain deployed to ensure cleared areas were not reoccupied.
Minister Garwe said the operation would subsequently be extended to other cities, towns and urban settlements across the country as Government seeks to restore public order, cleanliness and trafficability in line with National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030.
He urged informal traders to use the seven-day window to comply voluntarily, warning that failure to do so could result in the loss of their merchandise.
“We strongly urge all informal traders to take note of the advice, use this window, and comply with the directive voluntarily to avoid loss of their merchandise,” Minister Garwe said. Local authorities have also been instructed to facilitate the immediate registration and orderly placement of compliant traders into designated structures.
The Government, Minister Garwe said, remained committed to creating “a sustainable, orderly, clean, and safe macro-economic environment”.
He urged residents and stakeholders to co-operate with law enforcement agencies during the operation.
