Richard Shumba

The future of thousands of informal traders in Gweru took center stage in Parliament this week when Mkoba South legislator Hon. John Kuka challenged the Government to explain its plans for protecting vendors whose livelihoods depend on trading in towns and cities across Zimbabwe.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Hon. Kuka questioned what measures the Government has implemented to support small business owners, many of whom begin as vendors before growing their enterprises.

“We see that the Government has a plan it discusses regarding helping small business owners. If you look closely, you will see that these small business owners start off as vendors. What plan does the Government have to protect these individuals who are earning a living through honest hard work?” he asked.

In response, the Leader of Government Business and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Ziyambi Ziyambi, stated that the responsibility for identifying and allocating vending spaces lies primarily with local authorities. He explained that the Government had adopted proposals initially developed by local authorities to restore order in urban areas.

Hon. Ziyambi emphasized that concerns about public health, sanitation, and the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, necessitated action against trading in undesignated areas.

“This was initiated by the council, and as the Government, we accepted it as a good cleanup program,” Ziyambi said. He added that councils should identify suitable trading sites, prepare layouts, and engage the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works before seeking land allocation through the Ministry of Lands.

On the Government’s actions to allow small vendors to operate and sell their goods, he reiterated that it is the council’s duty.

The parliamentary exchange comes at a time when vending has become a major national issue following a nationwide drive to remove traders from undesignated sites and to formalize the informal sector.

The Government recently launched a 60-day vendor formalization program to integrate traders into the regulated economy while providing lawful trading spaces.

This discussion follows a stakeholder engagement meeting held in Gweru this week between the City of Gweru, informal traders, transport operators, and other stakeholders to discuss implementing Government directives on vending.

The City of Gweru said the objective is to restore order in the central business district while protecting livelihoods that depend on the informal economy.

During the meeting, Chamber Secretary Dr. Owen Masimba emphasized that peace must prevail, stating, “This is not a meeting to declare war on informal traders.

It is a meeting to find a better way of organizing economic activity.” He acknowledged that many families depend on vending and other informal activities for survival.

The meeting followed a council directive ordering vendors to vacate the central business district by September 25 and relocate to designated trading sites identified by the local authority.

Several vendors interviewed supported efforts to improve sanitation and order but emphasized the need for authorities to provide affordable, accessible market spaces.

“We are not refusing to follow the law, but we need places where customers can reach us,” said Gogo Mbizo, a vendor operating in Gweru’s central business district.

Another vendor, a mother of two who identified herself as Mai Two, said vending was her only source of income and that displacement would prevent her from caring for her family. “Vending is what feeds our families. If councils move us, they should first show us where we can work and continue earning a living,” she said.

This debate highlights the challenge of balancing urban planning, public health, and the livelihoods of thousands of Zimbabweans who rely on informal trading for survival.