‘Order must be maintained’: Govt orders crackdown on illegal Harare vendors defying eviction
The Zimbabwean government has launched a crackdown on illegal street vendors in Harare, citing public health risks and the need to restore urban order. Officials argue that informal trading in unauthorized areas is hindering the country's economic goals and threatening public sanitation.
Why it matters
This reflects the tension between informal economic survival for citizens and government efforts to enforce urban planning and public health standards.
THE government has declared that illegal vending in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD) “is no longer acceptable” and “no longer business as usual”, with authorities moving to enforce the use of designated markets and vending bays.
Local Government minister Daniel Garwe issued the warning on Monday, saying the deterioration of urban order in the capital was undermining Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 goal of becoming an Upper-Middle Income economy.
“This is not a declaration of war against vendors and informal traders, but a desire to bring back orderliness and cleanliness in the City,” Garwe said.
He cited public health risks, congestion, blocked pedestrian walkways, and drug and substance abuse as some of the consequences of uncontrolled vending.
The minister specifically warned of the risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera as a result of trading in areas without adequate sanitation and access to clean water.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in