Norman Dururu
KWEKWE City Council has ordered vendors to leave the streets by September 30, 2026, joining other urban local authorities in a nationwide clean-up effort.
In a public notice issued on September 23 to all vendors operating within the city, the council instructed informal traders to vacate the central business district (CBD) and comply with new operating hours for those in designated vending areas.
“All vendors are hereby advised to vacate the City of Kwekwe Central Business District (CBD) by September 30, 2026. No vending will be permitted within the CBD after this date,” the council stated.
The local authority announced that vending hours will be strictly regulated once the CBD has been vacated.
Vending operations in designated areas within the CBD will run from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., while vendors in designated residential market areas will be allowed to operate from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
“All vendors are expected to strictly adhere to these new regulations and operating hours. Failure to comply will result in enforcement action by the relevant authorities,” the council warned.
The local authority appealed for cooperation to ensure an orderly and compliant trading environment.
Kwekwe’s ultimatum follows similar actions by Harare, Chitungwiza, Mutare, and Gweru, among other cities.
These actions are part of efforts by local authorities to implement the Government’s National Clean-Up, Restoration, Order and Safety Programme, which aims to address illegal trading, unauthorised activities, obstruction of public spaces, illegal parking, poor refuse collection, and other activities that compromise the functionality of CBDs throughout the country.
