300 Municipal Police Officers Deployed As Harare Steps Up Illegal Vending Crackdown
Harare has launched a major operation targeting illegal vending, congestion and other forms of urban disorder in the capital.
Operation Chenesa Harare officially got underway at the intersection of E.D. Mnangagwa Road, formerly Enterprise Road, and Samora Machel Avenue.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe and Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume led the exercise.
The campaign seeks to restore cleanliness and order in the Central Business District while improving the movement of pedestrians and vehicles.
Also Read: Government Gives Harare Vendors September 9 Deadline In Major Crackdown
300 Municipal Police Officers Deployed
At least 300 municipal police officers are being deployed across the city as authorities intensify enforcement.
The number could increase if officials determine that more personnel are needed, Mafume said.
The initial intervention will focus on encouraging vendors operating from undesignated areas to move to approved trading spaces.
Mafume said authorities would progressively strengthen enforcement while giving traders an opportunity to comply.
Vendors Told To Use Designated Sites
Council wants informal traders to operate from designated markets rather than occupying pavements and other spaces meant for pedestrians and motorists.
Mafume said illegal vending was contributing to congestion and making it harder for people and vehicles to move freely through the city.
He also argued that the situation was affecting efforts to create a more business-friendly environment in the capital.
The mayor defended council-provided markets, despite concerns from some traders over the condition and location of certain facilities.
He pointed to the Mbare market as an example of infrastructure provided for informal traders.
Government Says City’s Condition Must Change
Garwe said the state of Harare could no longer be allowed to continue.
He linked the clean-up campaign to Zimbabwe’s broader development ambitions, including the goal of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
The minister said the deterioration of urban standards was a concern for Government.
He stressed that Chenesa Harare should not be viewed as an attack on people who depend on informal trading for their livelihoods.
‘Not A War Against Vendors’
Garwe acknowledged that vending supports thousands of Zimbabwean families.
He also recognised the economic difficulties that have pushed many residents into informal businesses.
However, he said the livelihoods created by vending should not come at the expense of order in the capital.
The minister said the objective was to create a city where traders, formal businesses, pedestrians and motorists could operate within an organised environment.
Vendors’ Association Backs Directive
The Zimbabwe National Vendors Association has backed the Government’s directive on designated trading areas.
ZNVA chief executive officer and executive chairperson Abel Zvobgo said the organisation had instructed its members to comply.
He urged vendors to stop returning to areas where trading is prohibited.
The association’s position could help authorities implement the operation without unnecessary confrontation as enforcement intensifies.
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