Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
VENDOR representative organisations in Mutare have welcomed Government’s decision to clear illegal hawkers, particularly night traders, from undesignated areas in cities, and Mutare City Council is moving in to implement the directive.
Information made available to The Manica Post shows that about 6 000 illegal vendors are operating at undesignated points in the city.
Of late, vegetable and fruit vendors as well as second-hand shoes and clothes merchants have been crowding along Hebert Chitepo Street in Mutare’s Central Business District from Dangamvura Rank up to Spar Supermarket.
In different residential suburbs around the city, vendors have also besieged selected undesignated selling points where they feel they get more traffic, while some official market stalls have been deserted.
However, on Wednesday, Government gave local authorities a 48-hour deadline to clear illegal vendors, particularly those operating at night, from undesignated areas in cities and towns across the country.
Citing serious health, safety, and security concerns, Local Government and Public Works Minister, Honourable Daniel Garwe, warned that the mushrooming of unregulated marketplaces has disrupted legally registered businesses.
He said it had also increased unfair competition, and created unsanitary conditions that posed a risk of disease outbreaks such as cholera and typhoid.
To enforce the directive, local authorities will be supported by law enforcement agents to restore order and bring sanity.
“Local authorities must enforce regulations requiring that all traders hold valid licences, and operate only in designated areas equipped with adequate sanitary facilities,” he said.
“The Government remains committed to fostering a safe, clean, and orderly environment for all citizens and will take further measures as necessary to address these challenges.”
Contacted for comment, Mutare Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka, confirmed that a meeting was convened yesterday (Thursday) to put in place modalities to implement the Government directive as soon as possible.
By yesterday afternoon, the operation was in full swing in Mutare to flash out all the illegal vendors.
“Yes, we will be moving with speed to implement the Government directive to clear all vendors from undesignated vending areas especially in the Central Business District (CBD).
“It is common knowledge that cholera is ravaging communities, and there is every reason to take precautionary measures before we experience a catastrophe. We are moving in to implement the directive from today (Thursday),” said Mr Chafesuka.
Mutare Informal Traders Association (MITA) president, Mr Itai Kariparire told The Manica Post that they are in full support of the Government directive.
“We support that Government directive more than 100 percent. The reason being that we have several official market stalls that have been built around the city, but people continue deserting them opting to go on the street.
“The gross effect of that tendency is that the local authority is losing potential revenue that should be used towards service delivery. We have an empty market stall at Sakubva Flea Market at Sakubva Beit Hall, which has 1 000 stands, but less than 20 people are operating there.
“At Mukwena Market in Dangamvura, we also have vendors deserting the official market stall that was constructed by a donor at a tune of about US$80 000 and they are now selling their wares outside the shade.
“At Mwamuka Farmers Market in Sakubva, we have a scenario whereby the farmers sell their produce up to 11am, but the rest of the day the market is empty. The same is happing at Chidzere. People should learn to do the right thing,” said Mr Kariparire.
The MITA president bemoaned the loss of revenue by the local authority owing to undesignated selling points.
“It is said the council is losing in excess of US$6 000 daily because as a city we have about 6 000 vendors selling in undesignated points, and playing hide and seek with the municipal police.
“At the end of the day, we are the same people who then demand clean water from council.
‘‘We are the same people who demand good roads from council but we are not willing to play our part,” said Mr Kariparire.
Shop owners, who were having a torrid time to control vendors that besieged the shop entry points when selling their wares, also praised the Government directive.
Mr Mathias Madakadze, who operates a butchery shop near Dangamvura Rank, said: “While we also have a human heart and understand that these vendors have families and bellies to feed, we were not happy that they were blocking our customers from coming into our shops. We also have businesses to run at the end of the day.”
Agippa Maboreke who also runs a boutique in the same area, said: “These vendors are not in competition with us, and we had no problems with that aspect, but when it comes blocking shop entrances, we strongly feel they were sabotaging us.
‘‘We are really not happy with that, and for that reason, we applaud the Government for the latest move.”
