Harare, (New Ziana) – Government has approved a comprehensive package of measures to tackle illegal vending in Harare’s central business district, combining enforcement with the provision of designated trading spaces, formalization of livelihoods and improved urban infrastructure.
The measures are aimed at restoring order and cleanliness in the capital while ensuring that informal traders are provided with lawful and decent alternatives to sustain their livelihoods.
Announcing the Cabinet decision during Tuesday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr. Zhemu Soda said the initiative was part of Government’s broader drive to transform Zimbabwe’s cities into modern, orderly and functional urban centres in line with Vision 2030.
The measures were presented to Cabinet by Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Tapiwa Mhona, who is chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Utilities and Infrastructural Development.
Minister Soda said the programme would strike a balance between restoring order and protecting livelihoods.
“The measures, which focus on illegal vending, will restore order, safeguard public health, formalize livelihoods and improve the overall functionality of Harare, Zimbabwe’s Capital City,” he said.
At the heart of the programme are four pillars – Legislate, Provide, Formalise and Enforce – which Government says will provide a coordinated framework for addressing informal vending in the CBD.
Under the Provide pillar, the servicing of 100 identified vending sites across Harare’s suburbs will be accelerated.
The designated sites are set to receive basic infrastructure including potable water, ablution facilities, lighting, shelter, waste-management facilities and storage areas, creating more suitable environments for traders and their customers.
Government will also develop a new modern satellite market on the periphery of the CBD to accommodate traders and decongest the city centre.
To accelerate the transition of informal businesses into the formal economy, Government will launch a 60-Day One-Stop Formalization Drive in partnership with the City of Harare and other relevant stakeholders.
The initiative will be complemented by the establishment of a Harare Vendors Council, which will facilitate the co-management of trading sites and provide a platform for resolving disputes.
Formalized vendors will also be linked to financial institutions to enable them to access working capital and strengthen their businesses.
The enforcement component will see the establishment of a CBD Urban Management Command, chaired by the City of Harare, with the mandate to “Clear, Clean, Keep” the city clean and orderly.
Illegal vendors operating outside designated areas will be relocated as enforcement of municipal regulations is intensified.
“Government is also moving to strengthen the legal framework governing municipal enforcement. Processing of the Municipal Police and Courts Bill is being expedited to empower the Harare Municipal Police to enforce relevant by-laws and operationalize Municipal Courts,” he said.
The courts, Minister Soda said, are expected to facilitate the speedy prosecution of municipal offences through simplified procedures.
The vending measures form part of a wider urban management programme targeting several challenges affecting Harare.
According to Minister Soda, interventions addressing illegal transport operations, deteriorating road infrastructure and organized crime will be announced as the programme progresses.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has already commenced the cleaning of Harare’s streets and the relocation of vendors to official trading sites under a 60-day exercise.
Minister Soda said the measures were therefore not only about removing illegal vending from the CBD, but also about building a more organized urban economy in which traders can operate within a regulated environment.
“In line with the Vision 2030 objectives and Minimum Service Delivery Standards of smart and orderly cities consistent with a prosperous upper-middle income society, Cabinet approved the Proposed Measures to Address Informal Vending and Associated Activities in the Harare Central Business District,” he said.
The programme consequently places equal emphasis on order, infrastructure, formalization and enforcement, with Government seeking to ensure that the transformation of Harare’s CBD is accompanied by viable alternatives for people whose livelihoods depend on trading.
New Ziana
