Harare, (New Ziana) –The Zimbabwe government has given illegal vendors in the Central Business District (CBD) and the greater Harare Metropolitan province seven days notice to vacate the streets ahead of a nationwide clean-up operation targeting informal traders.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe issued the notice amid rising cases of informal trading in urban centres in the country, saying vendors should operate from designated sites.
He said the Ministry had noted with concern the continued proliferation of illegal vending and informal trading at undesignated spots, areas and sites within the CBD and the greater Harare Metropolitan province.
“This rampant malpractice has severely compromised urban sanitation, blocked public pathways, disrupted law-abiding formal business, and created artificial congestion that undermines public safety and health regulations across our capital city. Consequently, the Ministry is issuing a stern and final warning to all residents operating in places not authorised by the local authority. All vendors engaging in illegal street and night trading have until Wednesday, 09 September 2026, to immediately vacate these undesignated sites and relocate to lawful, designated vending markets provided by the local authority,” he said.
Garwe added that, after the grace period, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, together with other Ministries, departments and agencies, would launch a comprehensive, zero-tolerance clean-up operation targeting illegal vending sites.
He said during the operation, all illegal vending structures, stalls and sites would be completely dismantled, while municipal police would remain deployed to ensure that cleared areas were not reoccupied.
Following the commencement of the exercise in the capital, the clean-up operation will systematically extend to all other cities, towns and urban settlements across the country in a bid to restore public order, cleanliness and trafficability in line with the National Development Strategy-2 (NDS-2) and the vision to become an upper middle income society by 2030 (Vision 2030).
“We strongly urge all informal traders to take note of the advice, utilize this window and comply with the directive voluntarily to avoid loss of their merchandise. Local authorities are also instructed to facilitate the immediate registration and orderly placement of compliant traders into designated structures. The Government remains committed to fostering a sustainable, orderly, clean and safe macro-economic environment,” Garwe said.
New Ziana
